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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

North Lead The Reward As Indians, Boise Clash

After Northwest League baseball games of June 24, the Spokane Indians and Boise Hawks led the North Division with 5-3 records.

Spokane then went on a tear, winning nine consecutive games and 13 of 16 through Friday.

So what kind of distance did Spokane put between itself and Boise?

None.

Boise also has won 13 of 16 and the teams are tied for first.

“It’s tough when you have to go out every night and win, because Boise’s not letting up,” Indians manager Jeff Garber said this week as Spokane prepared for a six-game homestand.

The homestand’s final three games, beginning tonight, are against Boise. The teams won’t meet again until the second half of the NWL season, a six-game, home-and-home series that begins July 29.

Spokane hasn’t finished better than third in its four-team division since 1990, when it won its fourth consecutive NWL title. Boise hasn’t finished worse than second place since at least 1989, the year it last played in the North.

Boise shifted from the South Division to the North this year because North Division member Bellingham relocated to Salem-Keizer. With the other South teams already in Oregon, Salem-Keizer was a perfect fit.

If the shift hadn’t occurred, Spokane would enjoy a 7-1/2-game lead.

Garber requested no locker-room talk about Boise while Spokane played its current series with Yakima.

“We’re still two months away from the championship (series),” he said. “What we want to do is stay consistent.”

Spokane leads the league in team earned-run average and ranks second in batting. Boise rates No. 1 in hitting and No. 2 in pitching. Both teams have four players among the top 10 in batting.

Boise manager Tom Kotchman, in his eighth season, has won five division and four league titles. Kotchman has a 337-218 career record (.606) and needs 30 more victories to pass Cliff Ditto and become the NWL career leader.

, DataTimes