D’Shawn Knowles paces Tri-City; Spokane Indians fall to Dust Devils 8-5

From staff reports

D’Shawn Knowles went 3 for 5 with a run and an RBI as the Tri-City Dust Devils beat the Spokane Indians 8-5 in a Northwest League game at Avista Stadium on Thursday.

The Indians (20-25) have taken two of the first three games in the six-game series with the Dust Devils (17-28).

Ryan Ritter put the Indians on the board in the first inning with a solo homer off the caboose in right center, his sixth in High-A and 24th on the season. After a single by Robby Martin, Jr., Nic Kent crushed one over the wall in left center, his 11th home run of the season to make it 3-0.

Back-to-back doubles by Erol Vera and Alexander Ramirez leading off the second provided a run for Tri-City.

The Indians loaded the bases with no outs in the third on a pair of singles by Ritter and Juan Guerrero and a walk by Martin. Ritter scored on a double play, and Guerrero came home on a wild pitch to make it 5-1.

Tri-City cut into its deficit in the fourth. Werner Blakely and Myles Emmerson singled and with two down, Andy Blake ripped a double just over the head of Guerrero in left field to plate one.

The Dust Devils loaded the bases with no outs in the sixth against reliever Anderson Bido on a hit and two walks. After the second walk, Bido motioned for the trainer and left the game.

Tyler Ahearn entered and walked the first two batters he faced to make it 5-4. Blake followed with a broken bat single up the middle to tie it, and the go-ahead run came in on a 6-4 double play.

Tri-City added a pair of runs in the ninth off reliever Angel Chivilli.

The Indians didn’t record a base hit after Guerrero’s fifth inning double and had one baserunner in the last four innings – a walk by Jamari Baylor in the seventh. He was subsequently thrown out on a line-drive double play.

Indians starter Mason Albright allowed two runs on six hits and two walks with four strikeouts over four innings.