After Saturday's 12-3 shellacking of Everett, the Spokane Indians need one victory -- or one defeat by the Vancouver Canadians -- in the next two games to qualify for postseason as the Northwest League's North Division first-half champion. The league's 38-game first half ends Monday…
The Spokane Indians made it 6 for 7 in winning series this Northwest League season by turning back the Tri-City Dust Devils 5-2 at Avista Stadium. The Indians won the series 2-1 and are 4-0 in home series this year. Their lone series loss came…
The good news for the Spokane Indians is that they've averaged 8.5 runs per game during their Northwest League series with the Tri-City Dust Devils at Avista Stadium. The bad news is that includes 16 runs during Tuesday's easy win and one run during Wednesday's…
The Northwest League will take its first day off on Monday after 24 consecutive days of baseball. When play picks up on Tuesday, there will be 14 games left in the first half of the season. Following Sunday's afternoon game with the Vancouver Canadians --…
It was put-up-or-shut-up time for the Spokane Indians on Friday. The Indians put up 10 runs and 11 hits on the scoreboard to overwhelm the Vancouver Canadians 10-3 to start a key Northwest League series at Avista Stadium. Read story
Until Wednesday night, every Spokane Indians game at Avista Stadium this Northwest League season had the same outcome: an Indians victory. Eight games, eight wins. The last four wins came against the Boise Hawks, whose losing streak had reached seven after Tuesday's setback. But Boise…
There's almost a feel in the air at Avista Stadium that the Spokane Indians are going to find a way to win. After Tuesday night's 7-3 win over Boise, the Indians are 8-0 at home and 10-1 overall to start the Northwest League season. Five…
The hits started in the first inning and kept piling up. The Spokane Indians accounted for a season-high 15 hits Monday while improving their record to 9-1 with a 12-6 win over Boise in Northwest League play at Avista Stadium. Spokane had four hits, all…
You can tell these are heady days for the Spokane Indians when stories written about them contain references to events that occurred before World War II. By defeating Boise 6-2 on Sunday, the Indians (8-1) matched the 1937 Hawks for the best nine-game start in…
The Spokane Indians have been in control of many of their games during the early stages of the Northwest League season. Saturday night's game at Avista Stadium was different, as the Indians had to score twice in the bottom of the eight inning to dispatch…
Tuesday was a fine day for ducks but not for baseball players. Steady, heavy rain postponed the Spokane Indians' game at Avista Stadium against the Eugene Emeralds. The contest was supposed to cap a five-game, Northwest League season-opening series. Instead, Spokane (4-0) and Eugene (0-4)…
The Spokane Indians have established patterns while starting the Northwest League season 4-0. In each game, the Indians' starting pitcher has worked at least five innings and earned the win. In each game, Spokane relievers have been (mostly) stingy. To top it off, the Indians…
The Spokane Indians have had four Northwest League championship teams since 1997, but they hadn't had a team start the season 3-0 in 17 years until they accomplished the feat Sunday with a 5-2 win over Eugene at Avista Stadium. The I997 Indians started 5-0…
There's not much to criticize about the Spokane Indians after the first two games of the Northwest League season. Not only are the Indians 2-0, but they've collected 23 hits while five of their seven pitchers who have seen action haven't allowed earned runs. The…
The Spokane Indians combined a lively offense, sound defense, solid starting pitching and excellent relief pitching Friday night and came up with a 7-3 win over the Eugene Emeralds to open the Northwest League season at Avista Stadium. Spokane and Eugene will play four more…
In one way, the Spokane Indians of 2014 will mirror the Spokane Indians of 2013. Indians relief pitcher Ryan Ledbetter is the identical twin of David Ledbetter, who was a starting pitcher for Spokane last season. Read story
The Spokane Indians' minicamp began Tuesday at Avista Stadium, highlighted by a handful of returning players. The Indians worked through the first day with only three infielders, but eighth-year manager Tim Hulett pronounced the day a success. Plus, the dark skies to the northeast of…
The Northwest League opener is still eight days away, but plenty of activity has begun at Avista Stadium for another season of Spokane Indians baseball. One change this year is the installation of five high-definition cameras that will allow the parent-club Texas Rangers to follow…
The Spokane Chiefs announced Wednesday the signing of Kailer Yamamoto, whose older brother, Keanu, just completed his rookie season with the Western Hockey League team. Kailer, who will turn 16 years old in September, was selected by Spokane in the fifth round of the 2013…
The Spokane Chiefs began trimming the number of overage players on their roster Tuesday by trading defenseman Cole Wedman to the Moose Jaw Warriors. The Chiefs received a fourth-round selection in next year's Western Hockey League bantam draft as compensation for Wedman. Spokane ended the…
Mitch Holmberg, who just completed his stellar career with the Spokane Chiefs, finished runner-up for a pair of awards during Wednesday's Western Hockey League awards luncheon in Calgary, Alberta. Holmberg, the league's scoring champion, was up for player of the year and most sportsmanlike player.…
The Spokane Chiefs will join the 21 other Western Hockey League teams this week in Calgary, Alberta, for important gatherings. Wednesday is the annual awards luncheon, at which former Chiefs player Mitch Holmberg is a finalist for player of the year and most sportsmanlike player.…
Goalie Eric Williams, who just completed his career with the Spokane Chiefs, has signed with the Colorado Eagles of the East Coast Hockey League. Read story
Left wing Adam Helewka and defenseman Colton Bobyk were the Spokane Chiefs' representatives on the NHL Central Scouting's final rankings of North American skaters for 2014. Kootenay's Sam Reinhart, at No. 3, was the top player from the Western Hockey League. Read story
Vince Grippi's daily take on all things regional sports has been moved to our main sports section online.
You can find a collection of these columns here.