Chris Derrick

It’s fair to say that the Spokane Indians started turning around their season the first time they played the Everett AquaSox. Until that series, June 26-30 in Spokane, the Indians had a 1-6 record and faced the daunting task of playing an AquaSox team that had opened the season 7-1.

YAKIMA – Jorge Marban has been perfect since joining the Spokane Indians’ pitching staff in last August. Reliever Jake Hale was nearly perfect the entire Northwest League regular season for the Yakima Bears.

Everett (49-27) had the best overall record in the Northwest League during the just-completed 2010 regular season. Vancouver (25-13) had the NWL’s West Division’s best record during the second half of the season.

For 37 games and eight innings of their 38th game, the Spokane Indians were all but invincible on their home field. Oh, but that last inning at Avista Stadium sure put a damper on festivities as Spokane completed its regular-season home schedule Monday night.

For 37 games and eight innings of their 38th game, the Spokane Indians were all but invincible on their home field. Oh, but that last inning at Avista Stadium sure put a damper on festivities as Spokane completed its regular-season home schedule Monday night.

Jurickson Profar hit the ball all around Avista Stadium on Sunday night, but his biggest play came while making an inning-ending out in the eighth. Profar stayed in a rundown between first and second base long enough for Josh Richmond to score the go-ahead run in the Spokane Indians’ fourth consecutive Northwest League win in their second-to-last regular-season home game. The Indians defeated the Boise Hawks 5-4, but nothing seemed assured until Spokane second baseman Alejandro Selen turned a game-ending double play to strand a Boise runner at third base.

Zach Osborne and Josh Richmond have returned to the Spokane Indians’ lineup as the team gears up for Northwest League postseason play. Osborne earned his first save and Richmond doubled and scored Saturday night during the Indians’ 3-2 win over Boise to open a three-game series – the team’s final homestand of the regular season.

Zach Osborne earned his first save and Josh Richmond doubled and scored Saturday night during the Indians’ 3-2 win over Boise to open a three-game series – the team’s final homestand of the regular season.

The Spokane Indians put the West in their rearview mirror Tuesday, although they wouldn’t mind a short return visit before the summer fades. The Eugene Emeralds held off Spokane 3-2 at Avista Stadium to complete a five-game series and cap the Indians’ 40-game regular-season schedule against Northwest League West Division teams.

Spokane has led the Northwest League in team batting average for a big chunk of the season, and now some Indians who had struggled at the plate are starting to click. The Indians cranked out 16 hits and punished Eugene pitching for an eight-run sixth inning and a five-run eighth during Monday night’s 13-2 victory at Avista Stadium.

Spokane has led the Northwest League in team batting average for a big chunk of the season, and now some Indians who had struggled at the plate are starting to click.

One night after the Spokane Indians melted down in the ninth inning and Wes Cunningham played hero for Eugene, the baseball gods called for a role reversal. Spokane scored four runs in the ninth inning Sunday night, completed when Cunningham dropped a fly ball in right field, to stun the Emeralds 7-6 in the middle game of a five-game set at Avista Stadium.

The Spokane Indians dodged Wes Cunningham’s home run and triple, but the walks he and his teammates drew were a different matter. Cunningham walked twice during the Eugene Emeralds’ six-run ninth inning Saturday night as Spokane suffered a rare meltdown at Avista Stadium during a 10-4 Northwest League setback.

The Spokane Indians give up six runs in the ninth inning and lose to Eugene 10-4 at Avista Stadium.

One week ago, Spokane Indians outfielder Ryan Strausborger was hitting .224 with no home runs and one triple. Those numbers are a distant memory, as the Indiana State University product has had the kind of week that any first-year professional would covet.

You knew things were going the Spokane Indians’ way Saturday when they needed just six hits to post an 8-1 win. Further, you knew the night belonged to the Indians when struggling pitcher Brett Weibley threw 2 2/3 shutout innings to earn his first professional win.

Josh Richmond has a new secret weapon. Richmond revealed the source of his power Thursday night after his grand slam and two-run double powered the Spokane Indians to an 11-2 win over Salem-Keizer.