Calderon Blasts Indians To Victory Spokane Third Baseman Lifts Squad To 8Th Win In Last 9

Third baseman Henry Calderon has demonstrated consistency so far for the Spokane Indians, hitting in all but three games in which he’s appeared.

The second-year pro from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, is showing he brings power to the 1998 Indians, too.

Calderon broke a 2-2 tie with a solo home run over the right-field wall with two strikes against him and one out in the sixth as Spokane defeated Salem-Keizer 3-2 in Northwest League action Sunday before 4,135 fans at Seafirst Stadium.

It was Calderon’s fourth homer. Spokane has won eight of its last nine.

Calderon, 20, said he’s always been a player with consistency and power. And he’s gaining confidence with each at-bat.

Indians manager Jeff Garber has noticed.

“Every night he has a pretty consistent approach,” Garber said. “He has a year of pro ball under his belt and he doesn’t give up and give away at-bats. A lot of his hits are deep in the count because he’s more disciplined at the plate.”

Jeremy Dodson also homered to right field for the Indians (8-5), doing it on the first pitch he saw in the third inning. Dodson, who went 1 for 3, now has three homers and was hitting a team-leading .324 entering Sunday’s contest.

“Home runs were the key,” said Volcanoes manager Keith Comstock, whose second-year squad is now 0-7 lifetime in Spokane. “We’ve just got to keep playing them, keep playing the game. They’re not that hot.”

But Spokane is playing smarter, Garber said, allowing fewer walks and turning more double plays than in its initial four games, all losses.

The Indians recorded a double play in the top of the ninth to end the game when Salem-Keizer was threatening with a base-runner on first.

Pitching also has picked up, Garber said. Starter Cary Ammons earned his first professional victory Sunday. The left-hander out of Southeast Oklahoma State threw six innings, giving up two runs and five hits while striking out six and not allowing a walk. Reliever Tony Penny was credited with his second save. “We are not giving the hitters anything extra,” Garber said.

“We are holding leads or keeping it close and when we get a chance to win the ballgame, we’re taking advantage.”

Volcanoes reliever Kevin Joseph (0-1) was tagged with the game-winning run by Calderon.

“We have been playing together and united,” Calderon said. “For this, we have won eight of nine. If we keep playing like this, we’ll keep winning.”

The Indians made it 1-0 in the second on Mike Curry’s bases-loaded sacrifice fly to left field that brought in Jeremy Freitas. The run was unearned since Freitas went to second on an error by S-K shortstop Cody Ransom. The teams face off in the third game of a five-game set at 7:05 tonight.

Notes

On the mound tonight for the Indians is right-hander Shawn Sedlacek (1-0, 1.35 ERA). Salem-Keizer will counter with right-hander Randy Goodrich (1-1, 3.09).

Indians 3, Volcanoes 2

Salem-Keizer Spokane

ab r h bi ab r h bi

Magruder cf 3 0 0 0 Curry cf 3 0 0 1

Ransom ss 4 0 1 0 Phillips c 3 0 0 0

Allen rf 4 0 0 0 Shackelfrd lf 4 0 0 0

Luster 1b 4 0 2 0 Dodson rf 3 1 1 1

Summers dh 4 0 0 0 Montas ss 3 0 0 0

Clark lf 3 0 1 0 Freitas 1b 3 1 0 0

Dean c 2 2 1 0 Calderon 3b 4 1 1 1

Hill 3b 3 0 0 0 Slemmer dh 3 0 1 0

Mattern 2b 2 0 2 2 Hart 2b 2 0 0 0

Totals 29 2 7 2 Totals 28 3 3 3

Salem-Keizer 001 010 000 - 2 Spokane 011 001 00x - 3

E-Ransom (4), Luster (3), Dodson (1), Ammons (1). DP- Spokane 3. LOB-Salem-Keizer 3, Spokane 7. 2B-Mattern (1). HR-Dodson (3), Calderon (4). SB-Ransom (5), Dean (3), Phillips (2), Montas (3). CS-Ransom (1). S-Magruder, Dean. SF-Curry.

Salem-Keizer IP H R ER BB SO

Jackson 3 2 2 1 3 2

Joseph L,0-1 4 1 1 1 1 1

Miller 1 0 0 0 0 1

Spokane IP H R ER BB SO

Ammons W,1-0 6 5 2 1 0 6

Penny S,2 3 2 0 0 1 0

HBP-by Joseph (Phillips). WP-Jackson.

T-2:22. A-4,135.