Paths Different, But Destination Same Indians, Rockies In Nwl Title Series After Clinching On Last Day Of Season

July 20 was a landmark day for this season’s Northwest League divisional champions.

The Spokane Indians, the North pennant winners, seized first place on July 20 and never let go.

The South champion Portland Rockies hit their low point on July 20, falling 5-1/2 games behind Southern Oregon.

Seven weeks later, Spokane and Portland are the participants in this year’s NWL playoffs. The best-of-5 series opens at 7:05 tonight at Seafirst Stadium.

Game two will also be at Seafirst, at 7:05 Wednesday. The series shifts to Portland on Friday night.

The fortunes of Spokane and Portland have changed slightly since mid-summer.

Spokane used a franchise-record 12-game winning streak to help build a 5-1/2 game lead. But the Indians (44-32) faltered at the end, losing six of their final nine to allow Boise to creep within one game. Spokane clinched the North title on the final night with an 8-5 win Sunday at Yakima.

“We said, `There’s no way we’re going to have such a great year and not make it,”’ said relief pitcher Raul Garcia (9-2), Sunday’s winner and the Indians’ season leader in victories.

“We’ve had our down spells in the year,” said second baseman Eric Nelson, Sunday’s hero with a three-run homer in the seventh inning. “But this was the worst, because it was at the end of the year, when it’s crunch time.”

Portland was still 5-1/2 games behind Aug. 7, struggling with a 21-26 record. But the Rockies (39-37) finished 18-11 while Southern Oregon dropped 18 of its final 30 games, including its final three at Portland. The Rockies also clinched on the last day.

Southern Oregon was in first place for 74 of the season’s 76 days.

“I don’t think it matters who we play,” said Indians manager Kevin Long. “The main thing is getting in, and I think it will be a great series.”

Spokane and Portland split their 10 games this year, but the Indians have won five of the last seven.

Portland won the 1997 league championship. The Indians were champions from 1987-90, and haven’t been back to the playoffs since.

The matchup is ideal for the NWL front office. Portland and Spokane were 1-2 in season attendance.

Pure statistics favor Spokane. The Indians led the league in team earned-run average (4.19) and were No. 2 in team hitting (.283). The Rockies were No. 3 in pitching (4.74) and sixth in hitting (.263).

But Portland finished strongly and the Indians were a .500 team without their winning streak of July 17-28.

“If we don’t have that streak, we’re an average team,” said Long, the league’s co-manager of the year. “But because we had it, we’re not an average team. We’re one of the elite teams in this league, and the streak was the thing that took us to the next level.”

Long has named Brian Sanches (1-2) and Mike MacDougal (2-2) as his starting pitchers for the home playoff games. Sanches (4.76 ERA), who has 51 strikeouts in 34 innings, draws the opener.

Portland’s front office said Monday the Rockies’ starter should be Ryan Kibler. Kibler (0-0) has just one appearance, a 3-innings stint in which he allowed eight earned runs.

Portland’s top pitchers are Cam Esslinger (6-3, 3.83); Enemencio Pacheco (4-3, 3.95); Julio de Paula (6-6, 77 strikeouts in 85-1/3 innings); and Craig House (11 saves, 2.08).

Garcia and Jay King (7-2, 3.88) should back up Spokane’s high-drafted trio of Sanches, MacDougal and Kyle Snyder. Ryan Baerlocher (7-2) of Lewiston may earn a playoff start, depending on Snyder’s status after throwing three innings against Yakima on Sunday.

The Indians’ infield has led the offensive charge. First baseman/designated hitter Ken Harvey led the league with a .397 batting average (second highest in league history), .477 on-base percentage and .598 slugging percentage. Shortstop Mark Ellis finished at .327, with 92 hits, 67 runs and 21 stolen bases. Third baseman G.J. Raymundo hit .323 and tied catcher Casey Dunn for the club lead with 11 homers.

First baseman Justin Hemme and DH Kevin Burford are Portland’s leaders. Hemme finished with 14 homers and 59 RBIs. Burford hit .306 with 55 runs and a league-best 22 doubles.

NWL PLAYOFFS PORTLAND VS. SPOKANE Best 3 Of 5; Games 4 & 5 if Necessary Game 1: Today at Spokane, 7:05 p.m. Game 2: Wednesday at Spokane, 7:05 p.m. Game 3: Friday at Portland, 7:05 p.m. Game 4: Saturday at Portland, 12:35 p.m. Game 5: Sunday at Portland, 2:05 p.m.