Indians Satisfy Full House Spokane Finishes Home Schedule By Defeating Yakima 4-0 To Equal Its Most Wins Since 1990

Perfect weather, an attendance record and a shutout win.

Such are the answered dreams of the Spokane Indians, who capped their home season on a warm September evening at packed Seafirst Stadium on Friday with a 4-0 win over Yakima.

Right-hander Modesto Villarreal (8-2), the club leader in wins, pitched eight strong innings - including no walks - as Spokane (35-39) equaled its most wins since 1990.

With two road games remaining, the Indians remained tied for second place with Everett in the Northwest League’s Northern Division. Yakima has lost eight straight and is 27-47.

The third-largest home crowd of the season, 7,217, pushed the gate to an Indians short-A season record of 162,344. Spokane also broke the club’s per-game attendance record - set at 4,193 last year - by averaging 4,272.

Indians general manager Andy Billig said 500 more fans attended Friday than the previous season high. Two other attendance figures, though higher, counted seasonticket holders who weren’t in attendance.

Spokane delighted the crowd with timely hitting, solid defense and stingy pitching. The Indians played errorless ball for the second consecutive night and rode the twoout hitting of Mark Quinn (solo home run), Patrick Hallmark (RBI double) and Dwayne Lewis (two-run single).

Villarreal, with ninth-inning relief from Justin Adam, continued Spokane’s recent trend of pitching dominance. Spokane has allowed three runs in its last three games.

“Our pitchers are coming through in key situations, and that’s what you want at the end of the season,” said Indians manager Al Pedrique.

Pedrique pulled Villarreal after eight because the tall Panamanian had reached his 100-pitch limit. “Last year I won four games,” Villarreal said through interpreter Jesus Liz. “This year I wanted to double it, which I did.

His fielders on Friday contributed to the success. First baseman Randy Paulin, celebrating his 24th birthday, robbed Yakima’s Johnny Hilo on two sizzling grounders and threw out Lance Backowski at second base in the second after a single smacked off his glove into shallow right.

Second baseman Brett Schafer started two double plays, including a fine play on a Backowski grounder to end the game.

Quinn’s team-high sixth homer, a smoker to left in the third, came on a 2-2 fastball from starter Carl South (3-7), who lost to Spokane for the second time in five days.

Lewis blooped a two-run single to left off South in the fourth after William Roland and Victor Moreno also singled to left. Hallmark doubled to left off Jeff Keppen in the sixth, scoring Schafer, who had walked and stolen second.”We really appreciated (Spokane fans’) support and patience,” he said. “Myself, I’d like to come back next year. For the players, I’d like to see all of them move up.”

Spokane completes its season with games tonight and Sunday in Yakima.

Notes

Spokane infielders Mark Melito (ankle) and Joel Nations (elbow) sat out again with injuries… . Thursday’s errorless game was the first at Seafirst Stadium this year.

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: WINNING AT THE GATE The top attendance years for the Spokane Indians, ranked by average per game: Year Attend. Gms. Avg. 1. 1995 162,344 38 4,272 2. 1994 156,092 37 4,219 3. 1958 270,297 66* 4,095* 4. 1990 133,317 35 3,809 5. 1960 261,858 71* 3,688* 6. 1993 126,028 35 3,601 7. 1947 287,185 80 3,589 8. 1959 245,012 70* 3,500* 9. 1981 227,050 65* 3,493* 10. 1991 130,111 38 3,424 *—estimated