‘Babe’ Taft Blasts Rockies Tribe Shortstop Homers Again In 2nd Game Back From Injury

Wed., Aug. 21, 1996

Shortstop Brett Taft apparently hasn’t suffered from a two-week layoff.

Taft, returning from a hamstring injury, homered for the second consecutive night as the Spokane Indians stopped the Portland Rockies 6-4 Tuesday in a Northwest League game at Civic Stadium.

Taft, injured Aug. 7, returned to the lineup Monday and hit his first homer of the year. Blast No. 2 highlighted a three-run third inning Tuesday.

Taft also doubled and scored in the fifth, as the lead grew to 5-0. Juan Robles’ sacrifice fly made it 6-0 for the Tribe in the sixth.

Spokane starter and winner Jason Simontacchi (2-3) allowed two hits and pitched shutout ball for five innings.

The Rockies rallied for four runs in the seventh off reliever Kevin Carcamo. Aaron Myers drove in two with a bases-loaded single, but was caught in a rundown between second and third after a wild throw from the outfield brought in a third run.

Aaron Lineweaver, who relieved with one out in the seventh, retired Portland 1-2-3 in the eighth and ninth for his first save.

The second game of the four-game series is tonight, with Jake Chapman (5-0) scheduled to start for Spokane. In his four starts, Chapman has allowed just two earned runs and seven hits in 26 innings, striking out 28 while walking three.

Spokane leads the season series 3-2.

The Indians (28-33) picked up a game on North Division-leading Bellingham (34-27), which lost to Eugene. Portland (26-36) was officially eliminated from the South Division race.

Notes

Although they’re six games back, the Indians retain hopes for a division title because six of their final 10 games are against Bellingham. … Through 61 games last year the Indians were also 28-33.

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‘Babe’ Taft Blasts Rockies Tribe Shortstop Homers Again In 2nd Game Back From Injury

Jesse Tinsley

Jim Meehan

Molly Quinn

Rob Curley

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