Vida Delivers For Indians In 10th

James Vida collected on a personal “debt” to give the Spokane Indians to a 4-2 Northwest League baseball victory over the Portland Rockies in 10 innings Monday night at Civic Stadium.

With a crowd of 4,185 looking on, Vida faced personal nemesis Chris Macca of Portland and drilled a twoout, bases-loaded single to center as the Indians evened the series 1-1.

“I owed you one,” Vida told Macca as the two former college rivals from Florida left the field.

Vida, who related how Macca had gotten the best of him in a couple of college meetings, received a smile in return.

Vida, the NWL’s fourth leading hitter at 377 in games through July 6, was just 1 for 4 with three strikeouts, two of them looking, when he came through.

The Indians loaded the bases on pinch-hitter Tony Miranda’s attempted sacrifice bunt that forced Brett Shafer at second, a double by Mark Melito and a Macca pitch that hit Pat Hallmark.

Reliever Craig Sanders (1-0) retired the Rockies in order in the bottom of the 10th to collect his first pro win and cap a solid night for Spokane pitchers. Starter Steve Prihoda pitched hitless ball for four innings, leaving after 5 with a three-hitter, striking out nine.

Spokane parlayed singles by Shafer and Scott Kortmeyer with a couple of Portland errors on bunts into two unearned runs in the third.

Portland scored its runs on an infield grounder in the fifth and a passed ball in the sixth.

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ON DECK Spokane plays at Portland tonight at 7:05