Griffin Herring dominates over four innings, Spokane Indians comeback falls short against Vancouver 6-5

Griffin Herring turned in his third consecutive solid outing since coming over to the Colorado Rockies organization in a trade with the New York Yankees for major league third baseman Ryan McMahon.

But in what has become a familiar refrain in the second half of the Northwest League, he didn’t get much help until it was too late.

Herring struck out nine over four innings, but the Vancouver Canadians held off the Spokane Indians 6-5 in the second of a six-game series at Avista Stadium on Wednesday.

Trailing 6-2 entering the bottom of the ninth, the Indians (21-23) loaded the bases with one out – all on walks. Blake Wright dropped a soft liner into short center for an RBI single, then a wild pitch brought in a run to make it a two-run game.

Aidan Longwell hit a liner over the head of Arjun Nimmala at short to make it a one-run game, prompting yet another mound visit. But with two down, Skyler Messinger popped out to end the rally.

Herring gave up one run on one hit and three walks. He threw 79 pitches, 44 for strikes. He’s allowed a total of three earned runs in his three starts since the trade and has 18 strikeouts in 11 innings.

His biggest trouble came in the first, as he walked the first two batters of the game, then hit Arjun Nimmala – which prompted a visit from pitching coach Blaine Beatty.

Herring struck out cleanup hitter Sean Keys, gave up a run-scoring groundout and struck out Carter Cunningham to get out of the inning.

He cruised from there, striking out the side in the second and two more in the third. Herring allowed a one-out triple in the fourth to Nick Goodwin, but left him stranded there after recording his ninth K.

Hunter Mann was summoned for the fifth inning, and he got into hot water immediately. He walked No. 9 hitter Bryce Arnold, then gave up an RBI double to JR Freethy. Eddie Micheletti, Jr. followed with a single to knock in Freethy to put Vancouver (23-21) up 3-1.

Max Belyeu, the Rockies’ competitive round pick in this year’s MLB draft (74th overall), led off the bottom half with his first professional home run, an opposite-field shot that just cleared the 370 marker in left center field.

But Mann’s troubles continued in the sixth when he coughed up Jay Harry’s third home run of the season, a two-run shot to the short porch in right.

Bryson Hammer got the last out of the sixth, but got into hot water in the seventh. Nimmala reached on an infield single, went to second on a throwing error and took third on a flyout. Hammer hit Keys, then Cunningham grounded out and Nimmala trotted home to make it 6-2.

Adding insult to injury. the Indians hit into a 1-6-3-2 triple play in the bottom of the seventh, with Aidan Longwell bouncing out and Belyeu thrown out at home.