Indians Overwhelm Bears, Thanks To Quality Pitching

The return of Jason Gooding means changes for the Spokane Indians’ pitching rotation.

These type of changes, the Indians can handle.

Gooding pitched three innings Tuesday before placing the baseball in the capable hands of Jordy Alexander.

Alexander, whose previous 12 appearances were starts, pitched six scoreless innings for the win in Spokane’s 9-1 decision over the Yakima Bears at smoky Seafirst Stadium.

Spokane (36-25), which is 6-2 vs. Yakima (20-41) this year, pulled within four games of North Division-leading Boise, which lost to Salem-Keizer 5-1. Spokane’s season is down to 15 games, including Spokane’s three-game set at Boise next week.

“We don’t even care (about Boise scores),” said Spokane manager Jeff Garber. “All we have to do … is finish strong, and if we do maybe we’ll have a chance.”

Having Gooding (3-0) back will help the stretch drive. Gooding last pitched Aug. 1 at Boise. He learned soon after that his father in Canada had suffered a heart attack.

Gooding attended to his dad, then was held up three days in Canada while waiting for a visa.

On Tuesday, Gooding allowed two hits, both in the second inning. Eric Flores slammed a double to center field and scored on Ricky Bell’s bloop double that eluded sliding left fielder Dermal Brown.

Alexander (7-3), the club leader in wins, pitched three-hit ball for six innings. He and Gooding combined for eight strikeouts. Yakima had no walks until Flores’ two-out pass in the ninth.

“(Yakima) had some good hits tonight, but nobody would be on base at the time,” Garber said.

Plenty of Indians were on base, but not until after Neal Hannah (1-5) pitched a 1-2-3 first inning.

When the dust settled, Joe Caruso was 3 for 5 with three RBIs, and extended his hitting streak to seven; Doug Blosser was 2 for 4 with one RBI, giving him 10 RBIs in three games; Juan LeBron had his league-leading 25th double; Brown stroked RBI No. 58, second in the NWL; Goefrey Tomlinson, with 24 hits in his last 48 at-bats, extended his hitting streak to 11 games; and Mike Brambilla and Rich Petru were aboard four times apiece.

The game was played with heavy smoke blowing from throughout the area.

The three-game series ends today with Spokane’s final afternoon start of the season. NWL ERA and strikeout leader Justin Pedersen (5-1, 1.98) will start against knuckleballer Lance Backowski (1-10, 6.21). Game time is 3:05.

Notes

Spokane’s Goefrey Tomlinson and Justin Pedersen were named NWL players of the week. Tomlinson hit .500, with three doubles, two homers and six RBIs. Pedersen struck out seven and allowed no earned runs in seven innings. … Spokane pitcher Jason Gilfillan has left the team to attend to his injured shoulder. Gilfillan was 2-1 with a 5.06 ERA in 16 appearances, all in relief. … Spokane utility player Cade Griffis learned after the game that he would move up to Lansing (Mich.) of the Midwest League. Because of an injury, the Lugnuts are down to one catcher, Dave Ullery, who played in Spokane earlier in the year.

Indians 9, Bears 1

Yakima Spokane

ab r h bi ab r h bi Newton cf 4 0 0 0 Tomlinson cf 4 1 1 0 Goudie 2b 3 0 0 0 Caruso 2b 5 1 3 3 Allen 2b 1 0 0 0 Brown lf 3 0 1 1 Phoenix rf 4 0 0 0 LeBron rf 5 1 2 0 Riley lf 3 0 0 0 Blosser dh 4 2 2 1 Paterson lf 1 0 1 0 Brambilla 1b 3 1 1 0 Flores c 3 1 1 0 Montas 3b 4 1 2 0 King 1b 4 0 2 0 Metzler 3b 1 0 0 0 Bell ss 3 0 1 1 Hill c 4 1 0 0 Hernandez dh 3 0 0 0 Griffis c 1 0 0 0 Babluena 3b 3 0 0 0 Petru ss 4 1 1 2 Totals 32 1 5 1 Totals 38 9 13 7 Yakima 010 000 000 1 Spokane 012 310 11x 9 EKing (4), Bell (29), Babluena 2 (3), Brambilla (6), Montas (14). DPYakima 1, Spokane 1. LOBYakima 5, Spokane 12. 2BPaterson (8), Flores (4), Bell (11), LeBron (25), Blosser (10). SBTomlinson (18).

Yakima IP H R ER BB SO Hannah L,1-5 3 6 6 1 2 1 Graham 2 2 1 0 3 2 Verigood 2 5 2 2 1 1 Spokane IP H R ER BB SO Gooding 3 2 1 1 0 4 Alexander W,7-3 6 3 0 0 1 3 HBP-by Hannah (Brambilla). WP-Graham, Verigood 2. PB-Flores 2.

T-2:47. A-4,508.

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: ON DECK Yakima-Spokane series continues today at 3:05 p.m. with a businessman’s special at Seafirst Stadium.