Eugene starter Josh Bostick tosses 7 shutout innings; Spokane Indians comeback falls short 5-4

Spokane Indians starting pitcher Albert Pacheco had no trouble getting the first two outs of the inning in his appearance on Tuesday. Unfortunately, the umpires still make a team record three outs each inning.

Still, Pacheco was reasonably effective over his five-inning stint. But Eugene starter Josh Bostick was better – and the Indians’ ninth-inning comeback fell just short.

Bostick tossed seven shutout innings and the first-place Emeralds beat the Spokane Indians 5-4 in the opener of a six-game High-A Northwest League series at Avista Stadium on Tuesday.

Bostick (4-3) struck out 12, allowing four hits and no walks. He threw 69 of his 83 pitches for strikes. Only two Indians batters reached as far as second base against him.

Pacheco allowed three earned runs – all with two down – on five hits, three walks and two hit batters. He struck out four and threw 104 pitches, 63 for strikes.

The Indians were down 5-0 entering the ninth inning, limited to just eight base runners through the first eight innings.

Cole Messina singled off Emeralds reliever Austin Strickland, then back-to-back doubles by Skyler Messinger and Jesus Bugarin resulted in two runs.

Strickland committed a throwing error on Jean Perez’s bunt attempt, and Bugarin scored to make it 5-3. That brought out Eugene manager Jeremiah Knackstedt, who called for righty Cameron Pferrer.

Perez moved up on a wild pitch. After Caleb Hobson bounced out, Braylen Wimmer clubbed a triple to center to make it a one-run game. But Pferrer collected himself and struck out Aidan Longwell and Blake Wright to preserve the win.

Until then, it was all Eugene.

The Emeralds (13-2) scored their first run in the second inning. With two down, Quinn McDaniel walked and Jose Ramos singled. Scott Bandura followed, and his ground ball got through the middle to score McDaniel without a throw.

Pacheco got two outs in the fifth then hit Jack Payton for the second time in the game. Charlie Szykowny followed with a long home run to right, his 10th of the season, to make it 3-0.

The Indians (10-6) put runners at second and third with two down in the bottom half, but Hobson swung through strike three to end the inning.

The Indians’ defense let them down in the seventh behind reliever Hunter Omlid.

Eugene’s Johah Cox reached on shortstop Andy Perez’s throwing error. Cox stole second, and cMessina’s throw was late, and skipped into center field, allowing Cox to trot over to third. He scored on a fly out by Drew Cavanaugh to make it 4-0.

Spokane put runners at the corners with no outs in the bottom half, but Bostick came back to retire the next three to keep the Indians off the scoreboard.

The Emeralds added an insurance run in the eighth. Zane Zielinski drew a walk off Omlin in his third inning of work, stole second and beat the throw home on Ramos’ two-out single.

The series continues Wednesday at 6:35 p.m.