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

Oh, Say, Did You See The Indians Win Another?

First came the National Anthem, then Francis Scott Key and finally bombs bursting in air.

All occurred Saturday at Seafirst Stadium, where the Spokane Indians (9-3) won their fourth consecutive Northwest League game, the last three in a comeback mode, and improved their home mark to 7-0.

Key (1-0), Spokane’s most called-up reliever to date, pitched 4-1/3 innings. He held the Everett AquaSox scoreless as the Indians overcame a 1-0 deficit with two runs in the fifth inning and three in the seventh to win 5-1 before an announced crowd of 6,888.

Key, making his sixth appearance, allowed two singles, struck out six and walked one.

“That was my best outing,” Key said, icing his right pitching shoulder in the clubhouse while fans watched postgame fireworks. “I got ahead of the hitters and I stayed ahead.”

The Floridian, officially Francis Scott Key III, exited in the eighth after striking out Keith Stewart. Justin Lamber, the third Indians pitcher, closed out the inning then struck out two in the ninth. Indians pitchers chalked up 13 strikeouts.

Key’s famous name has no significance other than his great-grandparents had a sense of humor when they named their son. The traditional name has passed to Key’s father and now to him.

“If I have a boy someday, I’m debating about whether I’ll continue (the tradition),” said the third-year pro.

“I’ve been asked to sing the National Anthem, but I can’t sing. Maybe if somebody sings with me I’ll get brave and do it.”

Key pitched at Lansing (Mich.) of the Midwest League, a higher level, last year. He came down with shoulder inflammation at Wilmington (Del.) of the Carolina League this year and rested a month before heading to extended spring training in his home state.

“When Kansas City (the parent Royals) told me I was coming to Spokane, I knew I’d get the ball,” Key said. “You want to play at a higher level, but the idea is to get a chance to pitch.”

Everett starter Chris Mears (1-1), who entered with the league’s second-best earned-run average (0.71), allowed 11 hits and four earned runs in 6-1/3 innings.

Spokane spanked five singles off Mears in the fifth, including four straight after two outs. Dermal Brown and Doug Blosser, the league leaders in slugging percentage, drove in Goefrey Tomlinson and Rod Metzler to seize a 2-1 lead.

Brown, who went 2 for 4, has gone 14 for 18 in the last four games, raising his average to .489. He leads, or is tied for the lead, in seven NWL offensive categories.

Spokane chased Mears in the seventh as Jeremy Hill and Merrell Ligons led off with singles and scored on Metzler’s single. Juan LeBron added an RBI single.

Everett (4-8) lost its sixth straight game. Spokane holds a one-game lead over Boise (8-4) in the North Division.

The pitching matchup for tonight’s 6:05 game is Spokane right-hander Eric Yanz (0-1, 12.00 ERA) vs. Everett lefty Tony DeJesus (0-1, 9.82).

Notes

Everett had swiped 19 bases in 20 attempts before Jeremy Hill threw out two AquaSox attempting to steal during Friday’s seventh inning… . Spokane’s Todd Meady (1.23) ranks eighth in league ERA after Friday’s win in relief… . Indians pitchers have walked a league-low 34… . Joe Caruso returned to Spokane’s starting lineup after being out since Monday with an injured finger… . Through Friday, Salem-Keizer had gone 6-0 since losing five straight at Spokane to open the year.

, DataTimes