Spokane Indians undone by late rally, fall on road to Vancouver 6-5

A seventh-inning rally – without the benefit of a base hit – allowed the Vancouver Canadians to come from behind and beat the visiting Spokane Indians 6-5 in the second game of a six-game High-A Northwest League series at Nat Bailey Stadium in Vancouver, B.C. on Wednesday. 

After the Indians (2-3) had taken a one-run lead in the top half of the frame, reliever Robinson Hernandez (3-2) walked two batters and with one down, Damiano Palmegiani laced single to center that plated the tying run. A sacrifice fly by the next batter, Zach Britton, made it 6-5.

Spokane went down in order in the eighth and ninth innings. 

Vancouver (3-2) jumped all over Indians starter Tony Locey in the first inning. Leadoff hitter Steward Berroa smacked a 3-2 pitch over the right field wall for his fifth homer of the season.

Locey hit a batter then got two outs, but he walked Garrett Spain and Miguel Hiraldo doubled into the left field corner to plate another run. Mac Mueller singled and Spain scored easily, but Hiraldo was thrown out at home by left fielder Robby Martin Jr. by plenty to end the inning.

The C’s scored again in the second when Locey loaded the bases with no outs, including a pair of walks, and Addison Berger hit a sacrifice fly to make it 4-0. 

Indians outfielder Zac Veen led off the fourth with a single, stole second, went to third on a balk and scored on a sacrifice fly by Drew Romo. Grant Lavigne drew a full-count walk and Julio Carreras plated him with a double into the left field corner to halve the lead.

In the fifth, Braiden Ward reached on a fielder’s choice and scored on Veen’s triple off the top of the wall in center. Romo followed with a single which tied the game. 

Locey got better as the night went on, retiring 12 of the last 13 batters he faced. He completed five innings and allowed four runs on five hits and three walks with no strikeouts. 

Ward broke the tie in the seventh all by himself. He was hit by a pitch, stole second, went to third on a throwing error by the catcher and raced home on a wild pitch that bounced about 10 feet in front of home plate.

Veen finished 2 for 5 with an RBI and stolen base, while Romo went 2 for 4 with two RBIs and a steal. 

The series continues Thursday at 7:05 p.m.