Blosser Continues To Make The Most Of Second Chance

Doug Blosser, the guy with the second chance, gave a boost Friday to the Spokane Indians, the team of second chances.

Blosser hit a two-run homer to tie the game in the sixth inning and poked a go-ahead single in the seventh to guide the Indians to a 7-4 win over the Everett AquaSox at Seafirst Stadium.

Spokane (8-3) took over first place alone in the North Division of the Northwest League as Boise (7-4) lost to Yakima.

The Indians, 6-0 at home, have won six games in which they trailed. Friday, before a season-high, sold-out crowd of 7,109, Spokane rallied after trailing 4-1 halfway through.

Blosser, who played briefly with the Indians in 1996 before running into trouble, was the big reason for the comeback.

He finally figured out Everett starter Gilbert Meche in the sixth after striking out in two previous appearances. On a 1-1 fastball, the left-handed first baseman went the opposite direction for his second homer of the year. Dermal Brown, who had doubled to lead off the inning, scored run No. 3 ahead of Blosser.

“My first two at-bats, he threw some pitchers’ pitches,” Blosser said of Meche. The Seattle Mariners’ No. 1 1996 draft selection struck out 12 in six innings. “He was doing a good job of using his changeup to set up his fastball.”

The Indians clocked Meche’s fast-ball at up to 95 mph. Meche hadn’t allowed an earned run in 14 innings until Juan LeBron doubled to lead off the second and scored on a oneout single by Rico Montas.

“I thought (Meche) overpowered our guys early,” said Spokane manager Jeff Garber. “We had to wait until he wore down and got some pitches up (in the strike zone).”

Everett (4-7) made three errors to assist Spokane’s three-run seventh. Rod Metzler reached on a two-out infield error and took second on Brown’s single off reliever Matt Noe (0-1). Brown finished 3 for 4 and is 12 for his last 14 at-bats.

Blosser singled on a 1-2 pitch to drive in Metzler. Brown, never hesitating on the play, scored when he drew a high throw at the plate from right fielder Fernando Espino.

Blosser was sent home from Spokane last year after falling out of favor with team coaches. He thought over his transgressions for two weeks before reporting for extra training in his home state, Florida.

“With all the stuff that happened last year, I came in with a fresh attitude,” Blosser said. “I was 19 then, and I’m just 20 now, but I feel I’m much more mature.”

Spokane will make the first change in its starting rotation for tonight’s 7:05 game with Everett. Justin Pedersen (0-1, 4.50 ERA) will fill in for Todd Meady. Chris Mears (1-0, 0.71 in two starts) will start for Everett.

Notes

Brown leads the league in hitting (.488), slugging percentage (.791), hits (21) and runs scored (18), and is tied for first in home runs (three) and RBIs (13)… . Metzler went 0 for 4 and had an eight-game hitting streak snapped… . The Spokesman-Review will sponsor tonight’s promotions, the Gentleman Jugglers and post-game fireworks.

Indians 7, AquaSox 4

Everett Spokane ab r h bi ab r h bi Eady cf 4 0 0 0 Tomlinson cf 4 0 0 0 Hargrove ss 4 0 0 0 Metzler 2b 4 1 0 0 Johnson 3b 4 0 1 0 DBrown lf 4 2 3 0 Connors c 3 0 0 0 Blosser 1b 4 2 2 3 Espino rf 4 1 1 0 LeBron rf 4 1 2 1 Soverel dh 4 1 1 2 Ullery dh 3 0 0 0 Marchiano lf 3 1 2 1 Dillon ph 1 0 0 0 Stewart ph 1 0 1 0 Montas 3b 4 0 2 1 Maynard 1b 3 1 2 0 Hill c 4 0 1 0 Kokinda ph 1 0 0 0 Ligons ss 4 1 1 0 Martinez 2b 3 0 1 0 Clark ph 1 0 0 0 Totals 35 4 9 3 Totals 36 7 11 5 Everett 000 040 000 - 4 Spokane 010 012 30x - 7 E-Eady (2), Hargrove (4), Johnson (3), Espino (1), Blosser (3), Ligons (5). DP-Everett 1, Spokane 1. LOB-Everett 5, Spokane 5. 2B-Stewart (2), DBrown (2), LeBron (3). HR-Soverel (1), Marchiano (1), Blosser (2). SB-Maynard (1), DBrown (5), Ligons (3). CS-Soverel (1), Stewart (2), Metzler (2).

Everett IP H R ER BB SO Meche 6 8 4 3 0 12 Noe L,0-1 2/3 3 3 0 0 0 Kawahara 1-1/3 0 0 0 0 2 Spokane IP H R ER BB SO Alexander 4 6 4 4 0 4 Meady W,1-0 3-2/3 2 0 0 1 2 Key 1/3 0 0 0 0 0 Boring S,2 1 1 0 0 0 1 WP-Meady. PB-Connors.

T-2:59. A-7,109.

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: ON DECK Today’s game between the Indians and Everett’s AquaSox will be at 7:05 p.m. at Seafirst Stadium.