Tide Keeps Rolling In For Tribe ‘Bama’s Caruso Sparks Latest Win

Joe Caruso is the type of person who makes the most of his second chances.

Caruso’s bases-clearing double during a six-run second inning was the big hit Thursday in the Spokane Indians’ 10-8 win over the Yakima Bears at cool, windy Seafirst Stadium.

Yakima led 5-0 after 1-1/2 innings, in part because second baseman Caruso couldn’t get the ball out of his glove fast enough on a grounder that nearly produced an inning-ending double play in the second. Instead, Yakima scored twice.

Caruso atoned in the bottom of the inning, as his 5-foot-8 stature may have fooled the shallow-playing Yakima outfield. He lined an 0-1 pitch from Brent Husted (0-3) over the head of left fielder Cash Riley to score Joe Dillon, Jeremy Hill and Rod Metzler.

When Caruso scored on Dermal Brown’s subsequent single, Spokane had a 6-5 lead it never gave up.

The Indians, 18-5 in the Northwest League, are 10-0 at home, the best season-opening home winning streak in franchise history.

Spokane has won 13 of its last 15. Spokane still holds a one-game lead over Boise in the North Division. Boise (17-6) rallied in the bottom of the ninth Thursday to defeat Everett 10-7.

Caruso could have joined the Oakland A’s organization after being drafted last year, but he wanted another shot at the College World Series with the University of Alabama.

The Crimson Tide returned to Omaha, Neb., last month, finishing second behind Louisiana State. Caruso set a CWS single-series record with 14 hits. He tied another mark with four doubles.

“What was funny was, with my last at-bat I knew I needed a hit to tie that record,” Caruso said. “Then I got a double, and found out later that I tied another record.”

Caruso also had an RBI single in the fourth on a seeing-eye popup that Yakima’s drawn-in infield couldn’t locate.

“Those are the kinds of balls I’ve hit previously that didn’t fall in,” said Caruso, a Pennsylvanian who was recommended to Alabama by a Pittsburgh Pirates scout. “Now they’re finally starting to drop.”

Caruso’s last extra-base hit was a home run June 21. He last doubled on June 20.

“The extra-base hits aren’t a big thing for me right now, because if I get on base for ‘Dee’ Brown and Doug Blosser, I’m almost certain to score.”

Spokane’s Eric Yanz, making his fifth start, had his fourth shaky outing. He allowed five earned runs in 1-1/2 innings.

Todd Meady (2-0) replaced Yanz in the second and pitched brilliantly. He surrendered two hits in 6-2/3 innings, retiring 13 consecutive batters at one stretch.

“I was just throwing fastballs, trying to get ahead in the count,” Meady said. “The less pitches I throw, the longer I can go.”

Dillon went 3 for 5 and scored twice. Rico Montas, 4 for 4 Wednesday, went 3 for 4 to raise his batting average to .377, second in the NWL behind Brown’s .404.

Eric Flores and Will McCrotty homered for the Bears (6-17).

The three-game series ends tonight, with the first pitch at 7:05. Scheduled starters are Spokane left-hander Jason Gooding (2-0, 2.50) and Yakima righty Beau Parker (0-1, 9.53).

Spokane begins a three-game series Saturday at home against Boise.

Notes

Indians leadoff hitter Goefrey Tomlinson has struck out just five times in 66 at-bats… . Tomlinson, a late scratch, and was replaced in center field by Rod Metzler, who has played five different positions for Spokane. Tomlinson hurt himself sliding into second base on Wednesday… . Spokane catcher Jeremy Hill has hit safely in 15 of 17 games… . Bears outfielder Kimani Newton is 9 for 9 in stolen-base attempts but has fanned 31 times in 70 at-bats.

Indians 10, Bears 8 Yakima Spokane

ab r h bi ab r h bi Goudie 2b 4 2 1 0 Metzler cf 4 1 0 1 Slater cf 1 1 0 0 Caruso 2b 5 1 2 4 Newton cf 1 0 0 0 DBrown lf 4 1 2 1 Saitta 3b 4 0 0 1 Blosser 1b 4 1 2 0 Leach 1b 4 0 1 1 LeBron rf 5 1 2 0 Riley lf 4 1 1 2 Dillon dh 5 2 3 0 Paterson dh 4 0 1 1 Montas 3b 4 1 3 2 Peoples rf 4 1 0 0 Hill c 3 1 1 1 McCrotty c 3 2 1 1 Ligons ss 4 1 0 0 Flores ss 3 1 1 1 Totals 32 8 6 7 Totals 38 10 15 9

Yakima 320 000 102 8

Spokane 061 100 11x 10

ENewton (2), Leach 2 (5), Ligons (10). LOBYakima 2, Spokane 8. 2BGoudie (3), Paterson (3), Caruso (3), Dillon (3). 3BMontas (2). HRMcCrotty (1), Flores (2). SBLigons 2 (5). CSCaruso (1). SFlores.

Yakima IP H R ER BB SO Husted L,0-3 3 7 7 7 2 2 Maestas 3-1/3 6 2 1 2 5 Graham 1-2/3 2 1 0 0 0

Spokane IP H R ER BB SO Yanz 1-1/3 3 5 5 3 1 Meady W,2-0 6-2/3 2 1 1 0 2 Boring 1 1 2 1 0 1

HBP-by Yanz (McCrotty). WP-Yanz.

T-2:43. A-3,631.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color photo