Indians Land High-Flying Hawks Again

Continuing an astonishing reversal of form, the Spokane Indians earned their third consecutive victory over Boise on Sunday, outslugging the Hawks 11-8.

Jason Layne and Brandon Berger each homered twice and Kit Pellow pounded his seventh four-bagger as Spokane connected for a season-high six home runs. Pellow’s blast, with Kris Didion aboard, broke an 8-8 tie in the ninth inning.

The series began with Boise dominating the Northwest League and Spokane burdened by inconsistent pitching and erratic offense, saddled with the league’s poorest record.

The turnaround began after Spokane manager Bob Herold called off batting practice. The Indians have responded with 30 runs on 38 hits in three games. Owning three straight triumphs for the first time this season, they face the Hawks again tonight, then return home Tuesday to open a three-game series against Bellingham.

Spokane now has a 10-16 record that has boosted the Indians within shouting distance of their three North Division rivals. Boise, which has seen its scanty number of defeats double in three days, is 20-6.

Sunday, the Indians and Hawks slugged it out through the final six innings.

With Spokane holding a 1-0 lead, the Indians scored three runs in the fourth inning, three more in the sixth and, with the score knotted, the decisive three in the ninth.

Boise scored in four consecutive innings, reviving its chances with a four-run salvo in the sixth.

Pellow, who had thrown out two baserunners from right field earlier in the game, belted his game-winning homer with one out. After the second out, Layne cleared the center-field fence.

Pellow raised his RBI total to 34 after 26 games. Berger’s two homers gave the left-fielder a total of six.