Indians score three runs in 9th inning to rally past Emeralds

From staff reports

EUGENE – Spokane and Eugene played with the lead like it was a greased pig Saturday night.

The Indians struck for three runs in the ninth inning to take the lead and narrowly held on in the bottom half to secure a 7-6 win over Eugene in Northwest League play.

Emeralds first baseman Luis Toribio was unable to handle Colin Simpson’s hard-hit grounder, and Braiden Ward and Grant Lavigne scored on the play to give Spokane a 6-5 lead with two outs in the ninth. Simpson scored on a Julio Carreras single for a 7-5 margin.

Ghordy Santos led off the bottom of the ninth with a solo homer to cut Eugene’s deficit to one.

Indians reliever Anderson Bido struck out three of the next four batters to end the game and earn his first save.

Zac Veen, Lavigne and Carreras each lashed out two hits for the Indians.

Spokane jumped ahead 3-0 in the second. Nic Kent’s sacrifice fly drove in a run, and Eddy Diaz added a run-scoring groundout before Veen’s RBI double.

Indians starting pitcher Joe Rock struck out 10 in five innings. He allowed one earned run, two hits and three walks, and he exited with a 3-1 lead.

Carter Williams’ two-run homer gave the Emeralds a 5-4 lead in the eighth.