Phillips, Indians Batter Emeralds

Sat., Aug. 1, 1998

Catcher Paul Phillips never asked for time off, but his short rest worked wonders.

Phillips finished 4 for 4, with a two-run homer, three runs batted in and three runs scored, on Friday to guide the Spokane Indians over Eugene 10-4 in Northwest League baseball.

Phillips was injured by a foul ball in the first inning of Wednesday’s game and missed Thursday’s game. Phillips previously went 4 for 4 on July 22, against Southern Oregon.

Spokane starter Shawn Sedlacek (6-0) took over the league lead for wins. He staggered in the first and second innings, but allowed one hit in the next four. He struck out five, walked none and lowered his earned-run average to 2.34.

Spokane (27-17), which won its third straight, has five winning streaks of three or more games this season. The Indians, 21-8 against South Division teams, crept within two games of the North lead because pacesetting Boise (29-15) split a doubleheader with Salem-Keizer.

The Indians scored in double figures for the fifth time and improved their league-best .279 batting average with 14 hits.

Spokane’s Rico Montas increased his hitting streak to 12 games with a two-run, 400-foot-plus homer in the second, his first homer and third extra-base hit of the year. Five batters later in the second, Phillips cracked his fourth homer.

Jeremy Dodson regained the team RBI lead (32) with a ninth-inning double. Henry Calderon, third in NWL hitting at .333, finished 2 for 4.

Eugene (17-27) left the bases loaded in the second and seventh innings and stranded 13 runners.

The five-game series ends tonight with a matchup of right-handers, Spokane’s Matt Burch (0-1) and Eugene’s Garret Lee (2-2).

Notes

Spokane played a second consecutive game without first baseman Jeremy Freitas. Freitas, carrying a 12-game hitting streak, injured his right thumb during Wednesday’s game. … The Indians had a 17-12 record in July. They were 15-14 last July after an 11-3 June.

ON DECK The five-game series between Spokane and Eugene ends tonight, then the Indians open a six-game homestand on Sunday.

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Phillips, Indians Batter Emeralds

Jesse Tinsley

Jim Meehan

Molly Quinn

Rob Curley

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