Slump-Ridden Hitter Bats A’S Past Indians

Brandon Welch, lost in the fog of an 0-for-41 slump, lashed three hits Sunday night, helping Southern Oregon end Spokane’s six-game winning streak with a 13-5 Northwest League baseball victory at Medford, Ore.

Batting a pitiable .037, Welch singled twice and doubled as the Athletics rode a six-run second inning to their fifth victory in seven games with Spokane this season.

Welch’s big night, which included four runs batted in, offset three-hit performances by Spokane’s Mark Quinn and James Vida.

The loss ended Spokane’s longest win streak this year.

The teams meet tonight in the third game of the five-game series.

Sunday, after Quinn doubled and Vida singled to give Spokane a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning, Southern Oregon rebounded by sending 10 men to the plate.

With two out and two men on, the A’s tallied six unearned runs. Welch drove in Mike Klostermeyer, who had reached when second baseman Dwayne Lewis dropped his liner, with the first run. Two more singles, Dave Slemmer’s two-run triple and Quinn’s muff of Miguel Tejada’s grounder scored the others.

Quinn made amends by clearing the bases with a one-out double in the top of third. When he scored again on a single by Vida, the Indians trailed by only one run at 6-5.

However, Welch doubled home two runs in the home half of the third and the Southern Oregon right fielder plated another with an infield dribbler as the A’s wrapped up the game with three more scores in the sixth.

Southern Oregon’s Manny DaSilva hit the game’s only home run, a solo shot in the fourth inning. Everyone of his teammates, except Tejada, had at least one hit.

Vida, on track to win the league batting championship, drove in three of Spokane’s five runs with a trio of singles.