Unlikely Stars Guide Tribe Win

Sun., Aug. 4, 1996

Winless Jason Simontacchi trailed in his first start of the year 3-0 after two innings.

Shortstop Eric Sees entered with just one run batted in all year.

The odds seemed stacked against the Spokane Indians Saturday, but Simontacchi is no longer winless and Sees has tripled his RBI count.

Simontacchi (1-2) struck out four and threw zeroes in the third, fourth and fifth as Spokane toppled North Division-leading Bellingham 8-6 at Joe Martin Stadium.

Sees had a RBI groundout during a five-run fourth and a sacrifice fly in the fifth as the Indians (19-26) pulled within five games of the Giants (24-21). Sees also collected his first extra-base hit of the year, a ninth-inning double that preceded Kenderick Moore’s RBI groundout.

Spokane pounded Giants starter Matt Wells (1-4) for six hits in the fourth. Juan Robles had an RBI with his first triple of the year, and Kris Didion and Brandon Berger added RBI doubles.

Berger notched RBI No. 38 with a fifth-inning single for a 7-3 lead.

Spokane bats went quiet as Bellingham rallied against Enrique Calero. Ricardo Calderon hit a solo homer in the sixth and singled home a run in the eighth to cut Spokane’s lead to two.

Moore’s RBI in the ninth added insurance, and Calero survived a shaky ninth with just an RBI fielder’s choice.

Bellingham led 2-0 in the first on Mike Caruso’s leadoff homer and Mike Glendenning’s RBI single. Caruso added a sacrifice fly in the second.

The three-game series ends tonight. Bellingham leads the season series 5-3. Spokane returns home Monday for a three-game set with Everett.

Note

Indians pitcher Ethan Stein, who suffered severe back spasms while warming up Friday, will miss at least one start.

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Unlikely Stars Guide Tribe Win

Jesse Tinsley

Jim Meehan

Molly Quinn

Rob Curley

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