Spokane Indians stars make impact in Northwest League-Pioneer League All-Star Game

In a back-and-forth slugfest, the Pioneer League All-Stars outlasted the Northwest League All-Stars 13-10 on Tuesday at Suplizio Field in Grand Junction, Colorado.

The five Spokane Indians selected to the NWL team had an impact on the game – some good and not so good.

Diosbel Arias, the NWL starter at third base and leadoff hitter, went 2 for 3 with a run, while cleanup hitter and first base Curtis Terry went 3 for 4 with two runs and a walk. Reserve catcher Francisco Ventura went 0 for 2 but drove in a run and pitcher Hans Crouse pitched a scoreless inning with two strikeouts.

Indians closer Emmanuel Clase had a tough go of it in the bottom of the eighth, though, committing two errors on the same play to allow two inherited runners to score. After a strikeout, he gave up an RBI single.

The Pioneer League scored four runs in the eighth to claim the victory.

Salem-Keizer catcher Joey Bart, the No. 2 overall pick of the 2018 MLB Draft by the San Francisco Giants, hit a three-run home run – with Arias aboard – as part of a five-run top of the first for the NWL. S-K’s Diego Rincones went 4 for 5 with two runs.

Coco Montes, who plays second base for the home Grand Junction Rockies, clubbed two homers and accumulated six RBIs.

Home run champ: Before the game, Terry won the home run derby, slugging 14 in the allotted two minutes. He beat David Fry of the Helena Brewers, who smacked six. Terry leads the Northwest League with 13 round-trippers – one better than the total he led the league with in 2017 – along with RBIs, total bases and slugging percentage.

“It’s an honor to me, especially since this is my first All-Star Game,” Terry told MiLB.com. “I’m going to enjoy it to the fullest. I’m just grateful to be out here. It’s a great atmosphere and I’m loving it right now.”