Rodolfo Bone walk-off single sends Spokane Indians to third straight loss
Rodolfo Bone’s two-run single in the bottom of the 11th inning lifted the Eugene Emeralds over the Spokane Indians 6-5 in the third game of a six-game High-A Northwest League series at PK Park in Eugene on Thursday.
Eugene (29-20) has won the first three games of the series and takes a 3 1/2 game lead over the Indians (27-25) for first place in the league with 12 games left in the first half.
A passed ball by Ronaiker Palma put Eugene runners at second and third with one out in the 11th. The Indians walked Luis Toribio intentionally to set up force plays but Bone laced a liner down the line in left off reliever Boby Johnson to win it.
Robby Martin Jr gave the Indians a one-run lead in the top half of the inning with a two-out RBI single.
Spokane took a 1-0 lead in the fifth inning when Palma scored from third on a balk. Colin Simpson made it 2-0 in the sixth on his team-leading eighth home run of the season.
Eugene used a three-run rally in the eighth off Indians reliever Luke Taggart to take the lead. Ghordy Santos delivered a run-scoring single and Casey Schmitt hit a bases-loaded two-out, two-run single later in the inning.
Taggart pitched 1 2/3 innings and allowed five hits and hit a batter with three strikeouts.
The Indians tied it in the top of the ninth when Palma (3 for 4) drilled a two-out RBI double down the left field line to score Grant Lavigne from second base.
Spokane took a brief lead in the 10th. With runners at the corners and no outs, Eddy Diaz lined one to center that Luis Matos tracked down and Nic Kent scored without a throw.
The trailing runner, Bladimir Restituyo, was thrown out straying from first for a double play and Zac Veen lined out to end the inning.
The Emeralds tied the game on Hunter Bishop’s one-out double in the bottom half. Luis Matos followed with a single to left and despite several bobbles of a wet ball on the play, Bishop was tagged out at home.
Spokane starter Evan Shawver struck out seven over six shutout innings, allowing two hits and one walk.
The series continues Friday at 6:35 p.m.