Bears blow seven-run lead but win in 11th
August 29, 2005 - Northwest League (NWL1)
Spokane Indians News Release
SPOKANE, WA - It was a wild night at Avista Stadium on Sunday and the Yakima Bears (25-41) managed to pull out a 10-9 victory over the Spokane Indians (31-35), despite a season-high seven errors. The Bears jumped out to an early 9-2 lead, but saw the Indians score four runs in the 8th inning and two more in the 9th to tie the game and send it to extra frames. The Bears scored in the 11th inning to pull out the victory and keep the Indians from regaining a share of the Northwest League Eastern Division lead.
The Bears scored four runs in the 3rd inning and another four in the 6th inning to jump out to a 9-2 lead before Spokane mounted a dramatic comeback. Three singles, a double, a walk and two hit batters combined to give the Bears their four-spot in the 6th.
A sacrifice fly by Freddie Thon put a run on the board in the 6th inning for Spokane to set the comeback in motion. Thon, who hit is 10th homerun of the year in the 2nd inning, finished the night 1-for-3 with two runs scored and a pair of RBI to give him a share of the team lead with 37 RBI on the year.
With a comfortable 9-3 lead in the 8th inning, Joe Kemp stepped to the plate with the bases loaded. Kemp hit a chopper to shortstop Juan Olivares, who threw the ball into right field trying to start the double play. As Steve Murphy and John Mayberry came in to score, right fielder Jaen Centeno air-mailed the throw from right field, allowing Freddie Thon and Joe Kemp to score, clearing the bases and pulling the Indians within two runs.
In the bottom of the 9th Taylor Teagarden provided all the drama fans could handle with a two-run homerun to score Joey Hooft, who reached on the Bears' seventh error of the night. Yakima managed to plate a run in the 11th on a two-out single by Olivares and a game-winning double by Lester Contreras.
The run not only gave the Bears the win, but also negated fine relief appearances by Juan Carlos Garcia and Warren Rosebrock (2-1). Garcia entered the game in the 6th to stop the bleeding and held the Bears scoreless over the next 2.1 innings of work, allowing just one baserunner. Rosebrock was dominant over the next 2.2 innings of work, before running into trouble recording the final out in the 11th. All told, Rosebrock gave up one run in three innings on four hits. Despite giving up two runs in two innings of work, Chris Thompson (3-0) got the win.
The Indians let a major opportunity slip through their hands as the division leading Tri-City Dust Devils lost 4-0 to the Boise Hawks, who had a no hitter intact through seven innings. The Indians remain just one game out of first place in the Eastern Division standings while Boise is three games back. The Indians and Bears will wrap-up the Spokane portion of their six-game series tomorrow night before the series shifts to Yakima for the final three games of the season between the two teams. To order tickets for any of the Indians remaining home games, call the Indians Ticket Office at 509-535-2922.
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Northwest League Stories from August 29, 2005
- Kemlo beats up on battered Indians - Spokane Indians
- C's lose another close home game, downed 3-2 - Vancouver Canadians
- Hawks open final nine game homestand against Tri-City - Boise Hawks
- Bears overcome seven errors to outlast Spokane, 10-9 - Yakima Bears
- Hawks knock off Tri-City Dust Devils 4-0 - Boise Hawks
- Bears blow seven-run lead but win in 11th - Spokane Indians
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