The precise details of the slump, William Roland didn’t know.

A slump is a slump, however, until it’s finally laid to rest.

Which Roland did on Friday before the largest Spokane Indians crowd in the last three years.

Roland’s two-run double in the sixth inning sent Spokane to a 2-1 win over Yakima before an announced crowd of 7,390 that enjoyed sultry, 88-degree weather and 50-cent goodies.

Roland’s hit, which broke a 0-for23 skid, allowed the Indians (19-29) to tie Yakima for third place in the Northwest League’s Northern Division. Yakima entered the game 4-0 against Spokane.

“I knew it was long, Roland said of the dry spell. “I just wanted to get something that I could hit hard.”

His chance came with one out in the sixth, after Yakima reliever J.J. Pearsall (0-3) allowed Tony Miranda’s leadoff double and James Vida’s bloop single, both to left field. Pearsall started Roland with a fastball strike, which started the wheels rolling in Roland’s head.

“I let the fastball slip by me because I was too relaxed,” the third baseman said. “I didn’t think he’d come in with another.”

Roland was correct. He rocketed a curveball off the wall in left, breaking a scoreless tie.

“The only way you can get out of a slump is by playing,” said Indians manager Al Pedrique. “To me, he had been opening up his shoulder too soon.”

Pitching dominated the early innings, as Spokane starter Jeremy Williamson wiggled out of some problems and Yakima starter Kris Foster breezed along. Both were gone by the sixth, having allowed no earned runs. Williamson, making his second start, dropped his earned run average to 0.62.

Jose Santiago spelled Williamson with two outs in the fifth. Williamson had allowed Juan Sosa’s leadoff single and walked Johnny Hilo after two outs.

“When I took him out, he said he was getting a little tired,” Pedrique said, although Williamson would have stayed in the game without the walk.

Santiago walked A.J. Walkanoff on four pitches before striking out Jamie Malave on three sinkers.

“I was just concentrating on the game,” Santiago said through interpreter Miranda. “I wasn’t worried about (the quick walk).”

Santiago (1-2) worked through the eighth, allowing two hits for his first win as an Indian in 15 games. Yakima scored an unearned run in the seventh on Roland’s three-base throwing error and Ken Morimoto’s grounder to first.

“Everyone makes errors,” Roland said. “I just wanted to make sure that one didn’t come back to haunt us.”

Indians reliever Craig Sanders allowed Judd Granzow’s two-out, pinch-hit single in the ninth. Jonathan Albrecht relieved and struck out pinch-hitter Josh Markest with a 2-2 curveball for his sixth save.

The final game of the two-game series is expected to match starters Carl Smith (1-1, 4.00) of Yakima and Modesto Villarreal (4-1, 2.98) of Spokane.

Notes

Vida and Portland Rockies pitcher Marc DAlessandro were named Topps players of the month for July in the NWL. Vida hit .339 for the month, with five doubles and 19 RBIs. He hit safely in 27 of the 30 Indians games in July… . Yakima carries 35 players on its roster, six more than Spokane. Some were Los Angeles Dodgers replacement players who were promised a year-long job… . Kevin Gibbs of Yakima (.342) injured his hand while sliding into first on a bunt single in the third. He stayed in the game for one batter, then was replaced by pinch-runner Juan Hernaiz.

, DataTimes