Lewis Prevents Drop-Off Subbing For Mark Melito, Shortstop Leads Spokane Win

Mark Melito needed a rest.

After his replacement, Dwayne Lewis, took care of matters on Friday, the Bellingham Giants probably felt like joining Melito in some repose.

Lewis went 2 for 2, scored once, drove in a run and compiled 12 assists at shortstop to lead the Spokane Indians over Bellingham, 4-1, in front of 6,925 at Seafirst Stadium.

Spokane (31-37) stayed on track to finish second in the Northwest League’s Northern Division. Bellingham (40-28) clinched the division title on Thursday.

Spokane won the series 2-1 and evened the season series 5-5.

Lewis, a utility player mainly used by Spokane at second base and in center field, hadn’t played shortstop since July 16. On that day, he committed two errors in an 11-4 home loss to Boise.

Since a season-ending injury to Emiliano Escandon, Melito had played 18 straight games at short.

“I have the confidence that whoever is out there will do the job,” said Indians manager Al Pedrique.

“I just play where they put me,” said Lewis, who came to Spokane from Lethbridge (Alberta) of the Pioneer League. “I feel comfortable anywhere. The organization said they want me as a utility player, and that’s just fine.”

Lewis, with nine hits in his last 16 at-bats, is 14 of 35 (.400) against the Giants this year. Against the rest of the league, he’s 11 of 83 (.133). “I don’t keep track of the numbers,” Lewis said.

For the books, Indians starter Jeremy Williamson (2-1) silenced the Giants for six innings, allowing three hits and no runs. Reliever Craig Sanders, who pitched the final three, served up Alberto Castillo’s solo homer in the seventh, but clamped down for his third save.

Williamson retired the first 11 batters before Rey Corujo’s infield single. His one shaky moment, with the bases loaded and one out in the fifth, ended on a 4-6-3 double play.

“I got in a little jam there,” said Williamson, who lowered his ERA to 1.42, “but Dwayne made the plays behind me all night.”

Lewis and fellow infielders Joel Nations, second base; Brett Schafer, third base; and Randy Paulin, first base, backed up their pitchers. The Indians played errorless ball and turned three double plays.

“That’s what the pitchers should do: keep the infielders busy,” Pedrique said.

Spokane scored single runs in the first, fifth, sixth and seventh.

Lewis singled to open the game off Joe Fontenot (0-2), the San Francisco Giants’ top selection in the June amateur draft. Lewis scored on Tony Miranda’s no-out grounder to second.

Nations walked to lead off the fifth and moved up on Tyrone Frazier’s bunt single, the outfielder’s first hit in two weeks. Phillip Bailey relieved Fontentot and was immediately greeted by Lewis’ RBI single to right.

Mark Quinn doubled to start the sixth and scored on a single to center by James Vida, the league hit leader with 85. Frazier doubled with one out in the seventh, took third on a poor throw from left and scored on a wild pitch.

The Indians completed their eight-game homestand with a season-best .500 record.

The Indians begin a four-game road swing today, with the first two games in Yakima. Modesto Villarreal (6-2, 3.06), Spokane’s leader in wins, is tonight’s scheduled starter against Kris Foster (2-2). Villarreal’s ERA is ninth-best in the league.

Spokane returns to town Thursday and Friday for its final home games of the year.

, DataTimes