Jackson Cox strong in piggyback outing, Spokane Indians bats sluggish in loss to Eugene | NWL baseball

Apr. 29—EUGENE, Ore. — Jackson Cox struck out nine over six innings in a "piggyback" role on Wednesday, but the Spokane Indians' offense did not muster much of an attack in a 3-1 loss to the Eugene Emeralds in the opener of a six-game High-A Northwest League series at PK Park.

The Indians (8-14) have lost seven of their last 10 games and fell into last place in the league. Eugene leads the NWL at 17-5.

Cox, a 2022 second-round pick of the Colorado Rockies out of Toutle Lake High School, allowed one run on three hits and two walks, throwing 52 of his 79 pitches for strikes.

He entered the game in the second inning in relief of Jeff Criswell, who was making an MLB rehab appearance. Criswell has been on the Rockies injured list since March 2025 due to elbow ligament replacement surgery. In his first appearance since beginning the rehab assignment, Criswell threw 23 pitches, 15 for strikes, in one inning of work. He gave up two runs on three hits and struck out two.

Eugene designated hitter Trevon Cohen hit Criswell's seventh pitch of the game for a double and moved up a base on a wild pitch. Gavin Kilen's flyout to center, the first out of the inning, was deep enough to plate Cohen.

Criswell struck out San Francisco Giants No. 6 prospect Dakota Johnson, but Carlos Gutierrez reached on an infield single and was running when Lisbel Diaz singled to center. Gutierrez scored without a throw when the relay was fumbled.

The Indians made it a one-run game in the fourth when Tevin Tucker led off with a double, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a groundout.

The Emeralds made it 3-1 in the seventh — Cox's last inning of work — on a leadoff solo homer by Zander Darby. Walker Martin walked and stole second, but Cox settled down to retire the next three in order to keep it close.

The Indians managed four hits and two walks off four Emeralds pitchers and struck out 10 times, going 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position.

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