Juan Guerrero hits two-run single in ninth, Spokane Indians walk-off Tri-City 5-4

From staff reports

Juan Guerrero hit a two-run single in the bottom of the ninth inning and the Spokane Indians walked-off the Tri-City Dust Devils 5-4 in a Northwest League game at Avista Stadium on Wednesday.

The Indians improved to 20-24 in the second half. The last-place Dust Devils fell to 16-28.

Tri-City reliever Willian Suarez walked Ben Sems and Cuba Bess on eight straight pitches to open the ninth inning. Ronaiker Palma bunted with two strikes and reached safely when Matt Coutney fumbled the bouncer at first base.

With one down, Ryan Ritter drew a full-count walk to force in a run. That brought up Guerrero, who bounced one up the middle that plated two, with Palma sliding to avoid the tag on the go-ahead run.

Guerrero finished 2 for 4 with three RBIs.

The Indians led early. Benny Montgomery led off the bottom of the first with a double to left field, went to third on a bunt single by Ritter and scored on a sacrifice fly by Guerrero.

They added to the lead in the third without the benefit of a base hit. Ritter walked to lead off the inning, went to second on a groundout, stole third and scored on another groundout.

Tri-City’s Joe Stewart doubled to lead off the fourth and scored on a sacrifice fly by Alexander Ramirez. The Dust Devils tied it in the fifth on a bases-loaded double play after loading the bases on two singles and a walk.

The Indians put runners at second and third with one out in the bottom half, but the Dust Devils went to the pen and reliever Roman Phansalkar struck out Parker Kelly and coaxed a flyout from Nic Kent to end the inning unscathed.

Three consecutive singles in the sixth off Indians reliever Seth Halvorsen, the last by Werner Blakely, gave Tri-City the lead. Coutney made it 4-2 in the eighth with a solo home run, his third of the season, off Felix Ramires.

Coutney went 3 for 4 with a home run, a double and two runs.