Minor A Major Problem Giants’ Two-Run Homer Decisive As Tribe Bows 4-3 In Bellingham

A Minor matter kept the Spokane Indians from gaining ground on Bellingham on Friday night.

Damon Minor’s two-run homer in the third inning erased a 2-all tie and lifted the North Division-leading Giants to a 4-3 Northwest League baseball win at Joe Martin Stadium.

Minor’s blast, off Indians starter-loser Scott Mullen (2-3), capped a four-run third after Spokane led 2-0.

Kit Pellow hit his club-high 11th homer for Spokane in the eighth, but Mick Pageler stopped the Indians in the ninth for his league-leading seventh save.

Bellingham (24-20) leads third-place Spokane (18-26) by six games. The Giants have won five of seven from the Indians.

The Indians reached Giants starter Ken Vining for early runs. Juan Robles’ RBI single in the second scored Carlos Beltran. Pellow had an RBI grounder to first after Vining walked the bases full in the third.

Bellingham’s rally started with Liviu Miskolczi’s infield single in the third. Mike Caruso followed with an RBI double, and took third on Spokane right fielder Jeremy Giambi’s throwing error.

Jose Zuniga singled home Caruso for a tie. After a fielder’s choice, Minor went deep.

Winner Luis Estrella relieved Vining in the fourth and soon retired nine straight. James Woodrow, entering in the eighth, allowed Pellow’s homer.

Pageler, who has allowed just two earned runs in 19 innings, gave up Robles’ leadoff bunt single in the ninth, but stranded pinch-runner Rick Pitts at second.

The middle game of the threegame series is tonight, with Jason Simontacchi (0-2) scheduled to make his first start of the year for Spokane.

That plan may change, however, because another starter, Ethan Stein, was carried off on a stretcher before the game. The injury to Stein, who apparently hurt his back during warmups, delayed the start of the game 20 minutes.