Smith loses perfect bid, Spokane drops game

Spokane's David Smith retired the first 18 men he faced Thursday, but Boise outlasted him to beat the Indians, 2-1, in the 12th inning.

The 22-year-old Smith recorded 11 groundouts, four strikeouts, and three flyouts before Boise's Davy Gregg grounded a single through the right side of the infield leading off the seventh to break up the perfect game bid. Smith, an undrafted free agent out of Southwest Missouri State, is 1-1 with 1.36 ERA in 11 games and six starts with the Indians. He ended up going 6 2/3 innings Thursday, allowing one run on two hits.

The Hawks won the game in the 12th after Jonathan Mota singled to lead off the inning, stole second and came around to score on Kyle Reynolds' single three batters later. The 21-year-old Reynolds also tripled home Gregg to tie the game in the seventh.

Boise's Nick Thompson (1-0) won the game with three scoreless innings of relief, while Spokane's Thomas Van Buskirk (2-2) surrendered the winning run for the loss.

The loss drops Spokane into a first-place tie with Tri-City in the Northwest League East. Boise closed to within six games of the division leaders with the victory.