Indians Finally Find Way To Take Care Of Last-Place Yakima

After nearly a full season, the Spokane Indians appear to have solved their biggest dilemma.

Everyone else in the Northwest League had beefed up their record by playing the Yakima Bears. Until Spokane’s 12-6 win on Saturday, however, the Indians were 1-5 against the last-place Bears.

Spokane put together a pair of four-run innings to support Modesto Villarreal (7-2) and Justin Adam. Villarreal, who allowed four earned runs in five innings, leads the club in wins.

Spokane (32-37) won its third game in four tries and protected its 1-1/2-game lead over Everett (30-38) for second place in the NWL’s Northern Division.

Yakima (27-41) damaged its chance to escape the cellar. Spokane took a 2-0 lead on Tony Miranda’s sacrifice fly in the first and Pat Hallmark’s RBI single in the second.Brett Schafer’s error at third base gave Yakima a run in the third.

The Indians sent eight to the plate in the fourth. James Vida, who went 2 for 4, scored twice and had two runs batted in, joined Brett Schafer and Tyrone Frazier with RBI singles.

Trailing 6-1, Yakima closed ground with Lance Backowski’s two-run double and Terrence McClain’s RBI grounder in the fourth, and Nate Rasmussen’s RBI single in the fifth.

Villarreal exited with a 6-5 lead.

Spokane preserved his win by sending nine to the plate in a four-run seventh. Miranda, Mark Quinn and Vida had RBI singles.

The short series ends tonight, with Spokane’s Allen Sanders (2-5) scheduled to start against Carl South (3-5).