Spokane Indians use 10-run first inning to rout Tri-City Dust Devils

PASCO – The Spokane Indians have been involved in a lot of close ballgames lately. Tuesday night’s game didn’t feature any drama.

Blaine Crim went 3 for 5 with a three-run homer in the first inning – spurring a 10-run frame – and the Indians opened up the second half of their Northwest League schedule by crushing the Tri-City Dust Devils 15-4 in the first of a three-game series at Gesa Stadium.

Six Indians had multihit nights, including Maxwell Morales, who finished 3 for 6 with three RBIs. Spokane mashed 16 hits, six for extra bases.

Juan Castillo earned the win with 2 1/3 innings in relief. He allowed two runs on three hits and a walk.

Jake Hoover led off the first with a walk off T-C starter Jason Reynolds and stole second. Kenen Irizarry walked before Crim blasted a 2-1 pitch to left for a 3-0 lead before many fans found their seats.

Luis Asuncion – a three-year Dust Devil before joining the Texas Rangers’ organization this year – singled and stole second, then Tanner Gardner drew a free pass.

Scott Kapers plated Asuncion with a single, prompting a pitching change to Ramon Perez. He uncorked a wild pitch, allowing both runners to move up.

With one down, Morales lined a single to center to drive in Gardner and Kapers, making it 6-0.

Hoover singled in his second at-bat of the first inning with two down, then Irizarry tripled, driving in two more. Crim singled home another run and Asuncion doubled home Crim, capping the double-digit inning.

Gardner added an RBI single and Kapers forced in a run with a walk in the third, and Morales doubled home a run in the fifth. Stanley Martinez joined the hit parade with an RBI single in the seventh.

T-C infielder Kelvin Alarcon pitched the ninth inning. He retired the side in order and was the only Dust Devil pitcher out of five who did not allow a run.