Indians’ bats go cold in clutch

Wanted: a couple of clutch hits.

One two-out single with runners in scoring position just wasn’t enough as the Spokane Indians dropped a 4-1 decision to Salem-Keizer in a Northwest League baseball game before 4,846 chilled fans at Avista Stadium on Friday night.

The Indians (25-29) had their chances against the Volcanoes (35-19), who sport the best record in the league.

In the first four innings they put 10 runners on base, but Danny Lima’s RBI single in the fourth to make it 2-1 was all the Indians could muster. Spokane went 0 for 4 with runners in scoring position and fewer than two outs and 1 for 4 with two outs.

Logic says some of the blame could be placed on the strike zone. After the Indians loaded the bases with no outs in the second and came up empty, manager Tim Hulett had words for plate umpire Atsu Yoshioka and was tossed.

“I told him we get (Chris Gloor) on the ropes, we have the bases loaded and can’t score because of you,” Hulett said.

That didn’t change a thing as the Indians finished 1 for 11 with runners in scoring position, stranding 13 runners.

“Baseball is a funny game,” said Spokane catcher Vinnie DiFazio, who walked three times. “This lineup’s packed top to bottom. I have faith any one of us can come up with a clutch hit at a clutch time, but that’s professional baseball. They can really pitch, made quality pitches at the right time. Unfortunately, they didn’t drop for us tonight.”

There may have been a touch of anxiety, considering Gloor came in with a 5-0 record and a 1.69 earned-run average.

“You know you have to take advantage and go get a pitch out of the zone, especially with the way the zone was tonight,” Hulett said.

“He had that extra gear on his fastball and his change-up when he wanted to throw it he could throw it for strikes,” DiFazio said. “The relievers have good fastballs and good off-speed (pitches). They all throw strikes. I think we’re just as good if not better than this team, but that’s the game of baseball. It was a 4-1 game, but it played a lot closer.”

Still, the Indians chased Gloor in the fourth, nicking him for five of their seven hits to go with five of the seven walks.

Kyle Vazquez (2-0) and Jose Casilla (10th save) shut the door on Spokane.

Meanwhile, S-K took advantage of its opportunities.

After Chris Dominguez hit a towering solo home run in the second, his eighth of the year, Luke Anders had a two-out RBI triple off the wall in center in the third. In the sixth Brooks Lindsley plated a run with a fielder’s choice and Drew Biery was cred- ited with a steal of home to make it 4-1.

That’s all it took to even the five-game series with the wrap-up game tonight before the Indians head out on a six-game road trip.