Indians keep streak going
Four-run eighth dusts off Tri-City
PASCO – The Spokane Indians entered this week with a 1-7 record and a spot in the Northwest League’s East Division cellar.
Things have changed in a hurry for the Indians, as they did during Thursday’s opener of a three-game series at Gesa Stadium.
Michael Olt’s two-run double highlighted a four-run eighth inning as the Indians (6-7) defeated the Tri-City Dust Devils 4-3 to notch their fifth consecutive win.
The Indians knocked the Dust Devils (7-6) out of the first-place spot they’ve occupied for all but one day.
Boise (8-6) now leads T-C by one-half game and Spokane by 1 1/2. The Indians are out of last place, replaced by Yakima (6-8).
Starters Zach Osborne of Spokane and Edwar Cabrera of T-C silenced the offenses. Osborne lowered his ERA from 7.11 to 4.35 by allowing one hit in four shutout innings. Cabrera allowed two singles in five innings, striking out eight and walking one.
T-C touched up Jimmy Reyes (1-0) for two runs in the fifth, capped by Chandler Laurent’s RBI double.
Reyes retired the side 1-2-3 in the sixth and seventh, recording three strikeouts.
Spokane’s Alejandro Selen and Ryan Strausborger singled off Clint Tilford to start the eighth. Olt greeted Ricky Testa (0-1) with the two-run double and scored on Danny Lima’s double. Jared Hoying, facing Craig Bennigson, singled in Lima.
Lima has 11 hits in his last six games and has hit in all eight games he’s played.
Tim Stanford allowed Laurent’s solo homer in the eighth.
The Indians summoned Ovispo De Los Santos and his near-100 mph fastball for the ninth. De Los Santos struck out two to record his second save.