Salem-Keizer blanks Indians

KEIZER, Ore. – The Spokane Indians’ offense has slumbered through four games in the Willamette Valley. Joe Kurrasch (2-2), Jake Shadle and Eduardo Encinosa combined on a four-hitter Saturday night as Salem-Keizer dispatched the Indians 6-0 at Volcanoes Stadium. Kurrasch worked six innings, allowing three singles, and Shadle and Encinosa retired the final nine Indians of the game after Joe Jackson’s single to lead off the seventh. The trio retired 16 of the final 17 Indians they faced. The Indians have been limited to seven runs and 22 hits during the first four games of the five-game Northwest League series. Spokane won Wednesday’s opener 4-3 before falling 9-1 and 6-2. Spokane suffered its second shutout of the season. Vancouver blanked the Indians 4-0 at Avista Stadium on June 25. The Indians (15-14) remained four games behind first-place Everett in the North Division with nine games left in the first half of the season. The Volcanoes (19-10) lead the South by six games over Boise. S-K’s Jeremy Sy went 2 for 3 with an RBI single in the second and a one-out, two-run homer in the fifth. The homer gave the Volcanoes their 6-0 lead and chased Spokane starter Kyle Castro (0-2), who allowed six hits and five earned runs in 41/3 innings. The Volcanoes jumped ahead 2-0 in the second when Sam Eberle had a one-out RBI double to right field and scored on Ty Ross’ two-out RBI single to right. Jackson’s single was his first as a professional. The fifth-round draft choice missed Spokane’s first 27 games because of broken finger. The Indians dropped to 6-7 on the road and 9-5 against South Division teams.