Robby Martin, Jr. delivers in 8th inning, Spokane Indians edge Tri-City 4-3

From staff reports

Robby Martin, Jr. drove in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning, and the Spokane Indians edged the Tri-City Dust Devils 4-3 in a Northwest League game at Avista Stadium on Friday.

The Indians (21-25 second half) have taken three of the first four games in the six-game series. Spokane remains four games out of the second-half playoff spot with 20 games to play.

Spokane led much of the game, but Tri-City tied it at 3-3 in the eighth inning. In the bottom half, Parker Kelly reached on a one-out single, stole second, went to third on a fly out and scored on Martin’s RBI single.

Angel Chivilli, who gave up the tying run in the eighth, came back out for the ninth and recorded a 1-2-3 inning to preserve the win.

The Indians jumped out to a lead in the second inning. Nic Kent reached when his fly to center was dropped by D’Shawn Knowles. Martin was hit by a pitch, then Ronaiker Palma’s line-drive single to center plated Kent and put runners on the corners.

With two down, AJ Lewis ripped a line drive to right, driving in Martin and Palma to make it 3-0.

The Dust Devils (17-29) cut into the deficit in the third. Knowles smacked a two-out RBI double and scored on a single by Adrian Placencia.

Tri-City put two on with two outs in the eighth against reliever Felix Ramirez and Indians manager Robinson Cancel went to Chivilli. Alexander Ramirez greeted Chivilli’s first pitch with a single to tie it.

Both runners advanced on a wild pitch, but Chivilli snagged a liner by Werner Blakely to leave it tied.

Indians starter Victor Juarez struck out nine over six innings. He allowed two runs on seven hits and did not walk a batter. He threw 97 pitches, 69 for strikes.