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Spokane Indians

Two former collegians help Spokane Indians hold on to 3-2 win over Eugene Emeralds

Indians catcher Matt Whatley tags out Eugene’s Jared Young at the plate to end the game. (PHOTO COURTESY OF JAMES SNOOK)

When it comes to holding on to close leads, the Spokane Indians aren’t quick to rely on their younger pitchers.

The Indians have suffered in several games behind a collection of young arms that are barely out of high school – particularly in the latter innings.

“There’s something about those last nine to 12 outs that just get tougher and tougher,” Spokane pitching coach Joey Seaver said after a pair of former collegians came out of the bullpen to hold on to a 3-2 Northwest League win over the Eugene Emeralds on Sunday at Avista Stadium.

Noah Bremer and Alex Eubanks, who came to Spokane last month after being drafted by the Rangers out of Washington and Clemson, respectively, have provided the control the Indians have needed and did so again Sunday.

“They’re college guys,” Seaver said. “I don’t want to say it’s a normal day for them, but it’s more familiar to them being in those spots because of those three years in college that they went through compared to a guy who’s been in high school.”

Not to take anything away from the arms fresh out of high school, whom Seaver said have all improved greatly since the start of the season.

“The young kids are getting better. It just takes time,” Seaver said.

Starter Cole Ragans, selected by the Rangers in the first round of the 2016 draft out of high school, has led the team in walks (24) for most of the season.

But in Sunday’s win, Ragans (3-1) walked none in five innings. He gave up five hits and improved his strikeout total to a team-leading 60 with seven Sunday.

“Every time (the young pitchers) go out there, maybe you don’t know what’s going to happen, but it’s always exciting what little improvement they can make today. I always look forward to it,” Seaver said.

Bremer and Eubanks followed Ragans in the final four innings of the game, helping the Indians hold on to their one-run lead. The pair allowed Eugene only two more hits and recorded six strikeouts, walking none.

Bremer, the former Washington Husky who was assigned to Spokane in early July, retired the side in order when he relieved Ragans in the sixth. He gave up an infield hit in the seventh before ending the inning on a pair of groundouts and a strikeout.

Eubanks, a right-hander who arrived in Spokane on the same plane as Bremer last month, struck out four and and allowed one hit in the final two innings to get his third save.

The Indians (8-3) nearly lost their one-run lead in the ninth. After Eubanks fanned two consecutive batters with a runner on second, Miguel Amaya hit a grounder to Cristian Inoa at shortstop. Iona bobbled the ball but recovered to throw home to catcher Matt Whatley, who tagged out Jared Young by inches for the game’s final out.

“That was crazy. I thought I made a pretty good pitch … I couldn’t believe it got through,” Eubanks said. “That was a great play by our shortstop and catcher.”

Sunday’s game was a constant tug-of-war between the Emeralds and the Indians, who were facing each other for the fourth time in the five-game series.

The Indians took the first lead in the third inning with two outs. Miguel Aparicio hit a short line drive to right field and Chad Smith followed with a run-scoring double.

The Emeralds (6-5) answered with a pair of runs in the fifth. Amaya led off with a bloop single to right-center off Ragans and Chris Carrier followed with a homer to center.

Spokane took the lead back in the bottom of the inning. Aparicio’s shallow fly ball was dropped by right fielder Chris Singleton while dodging second baseman Jhonny Bethencourt, and Kole Enright scored from second base.

Smith put the Indians back on top at 3-2 with another double that bounced off the right-field wall and scored Aparicio from first.

Aparicio and Smith had all of the Indians’ hits with two apiece.

Miguel Amaya went 3 for 4 for Eugene. Javier Assad (2-5), who surrendered all three Indians runs, took the loss.

After tonight’s rubber game of the five-game series, the Indians go on the road for eight games beginning with three at Everett followed by five at Eugene.