Indians Hold Hot Portland To Three Hits

The Spokane Indians saved their best pitching performance of the year for the best team in the Northwest League.

Indians starter Hal Hodge (2-0) and Jonathan Albrecht combined on a three-hitter Wednesday as Spokane cooled off the Portland Rockies 4-0. Spokane produced its first shutout of the season.

With the win the Indians (11-16) jumped over Everett into third place in the NWL’s Northern Division. Portland (18-8) leads the Southern Division.

The rubber match of the five-game series is this afternoon, with the Indians’ Mike Robbins (0-2) starting against Brady Wuestenhoefer (1-3).

Portland starter Lariel Gonzalez (1-1) encountered poor luck in the second and third innings - when Spokane scored single runs - but was not blameless.

Spokane’s Scott Pinoni reached first base in the second on an error by third baseman Brett Elam. Gonzalez hit Leon Weathersby with a pitch, then walked Joel Nations and Tyrone Frazier to score Pinoni.

In the third, Brett Schafer walked with one out, stole second, moved to third on James Vida’s single and scored on a wild pitch.

Portland reliever Jason Romine of Omak, Wash., walked Tony Miranda to lead off the seventh. After a fielder’s choice, Vida had an RBI double.

Drew Keehn, the fourth Rockies pitcher, allowed Pinoni’s bloop RBI single in the ninth.

Hodge allowed two singles and struck out four in five innings. Albrecht, 5 for 5 in save situations, gave up a single in four innings.