Indians fall to 0-4 in second half of NWL season

KEIZER, Ore. – The Spokane Indians fell to the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes 5-3 Friday night, failing to win for the fourth straight game since the start of the Northwest League’s second half. The Indians, the first-half North Division champions, are the only team in the league without a victory in the second half. They lost just 13 games in the entire first half. Tied at 1-1, the Volcanoes came up with four runs in the bottom of the second, loading the bases with none out on a single, a walk and an error by Indians starting pitcher Richelson Pena. Brett Kay then singled in a run and Tyler Hollick’s ground out brought in another. After a strikeout, Christian Arroyo singled to make it 5-1. Spokane got two runs back in the third inning to close within 5-3. Seth Spivey hit his third home run of the season, a one-out, two-run shot that scored Saquan Johnson, who led off the inning with a single. The Indians opened the scoring in the first inning on a two-out double by Marcus Greene and Luke Tender’s RBI single. The Volcanoes tied the game in the bottom of the inning on a leadoff triple by Hollick and a two-out double from Skyler Ewing. Pena (4-2) took the loss, giving up all seven Salem-Keizer hits and five runs, three earned, over 41/3 innings. He struck out five and walked one. Jason Hoppe struck out three in 22/3 innings and Kevin Matthews one to give the Indians pitchers nine strikeouts. Jose Reyes (4-3) went six innings for the victory, giving up the three runs and six of the Indians’ eight hits. Spivey and Isiah Kiner-Falefa had two hits apiece for the Indians, who hit into three double plays. The Indians will try and avoid a sweep tonight before returning home for an eight-game homestand. The three-day All-Star game break follows the Indians’ homestand.