Streaking Indians Win Fifth Solid Pitching, Hits All Around Help Spokane To 8-3 Win Over Portland Indians 8, Rockies 3

The Spokane Indians are in late-season form.

Late season, as in Aug. 22-26, 1997, the last time the Indians won five in a row.

Shawn Sedlacek (1-0) pitched six strong innings in his first start, and every Indians starter had a hit during Wednesday’s 8-3 victory over Portland in Civic Stadium.

Spokane (5-4) has won five straight and owns five consecutive wins over Portland, stretching back to last year. The Rockies (4-5) are on a four-game skid.

Sedlacek allowed no earned runs, struck out three and walked none. Spokane relievers Mike Casper and Denton McDaniel also walked none.

Casper made his Spokane debut.

Spokane pitchers’ scoreless string, bolstered by Tuesday’s 1-0 shutout, reached 16 innings and should have stretched beyond.

Portland scored three times in the sixth after Indians catcher Paul Phillips mishandled what would have been an inning-ending strikeout. Luis Landaeta instead reached first base, and Erik Johnson followed with a two-run double.

Spokane’s four-run first set the tone, as outfielders Brian Shackelford and Ryan Fry had RBI doubles off Ryan Cameron (0-1).

Sedlacek and Cameron each retired seven consecutive batters during early stretches. Cameron struck out four straight from the third to the fourth.

Mike Curry, Phillips, Shackelford, Fry and Ben Slemmer had two hits apiece as Spokane totaled a season-high 14.

The fourth game of the five-game series is tonight, with Spokane’s Javier Pamus (0-0) starting against Brian Brantley (1-0).

Notes

Right-hander Matt Burch, a first-round draft selection from Virginia Commonwealth, is expected to join the Indians in Portland today. Burch may work out of the bullpen during Spokane’s upcoming five-game home series against Salem-Keizer. … Infielder Rico Montas, who hit .300 for Spokane last year, played in his first game since being sent down from Lansing, Mich., where he was hitting .229.