Indians’ Sedlacek Keeps Rolling

Shawn Sedlacek said his emergence as a strong starting pitcher has more to do with hard work than lightning striking.

But in truth, a little lightning along the way helped.

Sedlacek (5-0) allowed no earned runs and two hits in six innings on Saturday night, and the hot-hitting Spokane Indians stomped Southern Oregon 10-1 for their third consecutive Northwest League victory.

Sedlacek, who struck out six and walked none, tied for the league lead in wins. Not bad for a guy who began the season as a reliever.

Sedlacek drew his first “start” on June 20, when the Indians played a doubleheader because rain and lightning washed away their game the night before. The first game of the doubleheader picked up with Sedlacek on the mound in the third inning.

His good effort, six strikeouts and no walks in 4-2/3 innings, bought him a spot in the rotation. Since then, he has struck out 30 and walked seven in 42-2/3 innings, allowing just 11 earned runs.

“My first year as a prospect, really, was my senior year in college,” Sedlacek said of his second year at Iowa State, where he transferred after two years at Indian Hills (Iowa) Junior College.

“People said I was a late bloomer. I had pitched enough, but I just needed to get bigger and stronger.” Spokane (24-15) picked up one game on first-place Boise (27-12) in the North Division. Boise lost at Portland, 3-1.

Southern Oregon (18-21) fell three games behind first-place Salem-Keizer in the South.

Spokane, No. 1 in NWL team hitting at .275, equaled its season-high hit total with 14. The Indians sent 11 to the plate during their six-run fourth, when they had eight hits, including five consecutive.

The Indians are 16-4 at Seafirst Stadium and 17-7 against the South. Spokane has totaled 42 runs and 53 hits in the series while holding the Timberjacks scoreless in 28 of the 36 innings.

The Indians had four doubles, two by Paul Phillips, to give them 72 for the year. Phillips, Jeremy Freitas and Danny DiPace went 2 for 4. Freitas, on a nine-game hitting streak, added three RBIs.

NWL on-base percentage leader Corey Hart went 2 for 3 and reached base four times for Spokane.

The game featured two starters among the league’s top 10 in earned-run average. Sedlacek (2.66) came through but the Timberjacks’ Jason Dobis, who entered at 2.57, allowed seven earned runs in 3-2/3 innings.

“I was worried about myself, mainly,” Sedlacek said. “I didn’t feel that good at first, but I got out there and got the competitive spirit going.”

The five-game series wraps up today with the season’s second of three 3:05 p.m. starting times. The scheduled starters are right-handers Matt Burch (0-1, 8.31) of Spokane and Eric Thompson (2-2, 3.18).

Notes

Spokane reached the season’s halfway point on Friday with a 23-15 record. The Indians were 24-14 at last year’s midway point. In both cases, Spokane trailed Boise by four games… . The Indians’ average attendance of 4,949 is ahead of last year’s record pace (4,876)… . Spokane has been successful on 69 of 85 stolen-base attempts. Rico Montas, Merrell Ligons and Paul Phillips are a combined 22 for 22.