Big fifth inning ignites Vancouver past Spokane Indians in series opener

Reggie Pruitt gave the Canadians the lead for good with a home run in the fifth inning, and Vancouver defeated the Spokane Indians 6-2 in the first of a four-game Northwest League series at Avista Stadium on Wednesday.

The loss put the Indians two games behind first-place Vancouver in the NWL North Division standings.

The Canadians caused the most damage in the fifth when they scored three runs on four consecutive hits. Pruitt started the two-out rally with a homer over the right-field wall, lifting Vancouver to a 2-1 lead.

Vancouver’s Norberto Obeso and Logan Warmouth both followed with singles and scored on Riley Adams’ chopper to right field.

The Canadians added two runs in the seventh. Pruitt singled and Obeso walked. Warmouth followed with a two-run single up the middle.

The Indians took a 1-0 lead in the third. Kole Enright and Cristian Inoa led off with back-to-back singles. Chris Seise drove in Enright with a single to right but was tagged out while trying to stretch his hit to a double.

Spokane, trailing 4-1, scored in the fifth. Austin O’Banion doubled to left field to lead off, moved to third on Enright’s fly to left and scored on Inoa’s grounder to shortstop.

The Canadians outhit the Indians 14-5. Pruitt finished 4 for 5. Samad Taylor went 3 for 4, including a double.

Seise led the Indians with a pair of singles in four plate appearances.

The teams pick up the series at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.