Indians Sweep Away Bears
Whatever else the Spokane Indians expected of their first series with Yakima, it’s unlikely they were prepared for utter domination on their part.
The Indians completed their first sweep of the Northwest League season Friday night by tearing to a big lead and cruising to a 9-1 win before an Avista Stadium crowd of 6,818.
Yakima (35-29), still with the league’s best record, was outscored 26-8 in the three games and held to .194 hitting (18 for 93). The Bears, with the league’s top batting average, received 2-for-25 hitting in the series from the top two in their batting order, Rod VanBuizen and Koyie Hill.
The Bears were outscored 26-3 after dashing to a 5-0 lead during Wednesday’s opener. Spokane rallied for a 10-inning, 8-7 win in that game, then unloaded on Yakima on Thursday and Friday. During one stretch, Spokane held Yakima scoreless for 16 consecutive innings.
With the sweep in hand, Spokane (32-32) suddenly finds itself just three games behind Yakima in the North Division with 12 games left, nine of them against the Bears. Boise and Everett, also with nine games left against each other are one game ahead of Spokane.
Spokane begins a six-game road trip tonight, starting with three games at Yakima. Left-hander Jon Metzger (2-3, 3.56) of the Indians is scheduled to start against righty Heath Totten (5-2, 2.05). Totten’s ERA is third-best in the league.
Zach McClellan (2-2) checked Yakima on two hits and no runs for six innings Friday to win his first game since July 30. McClellan has allowed just one earned run in his last 12 innings.
“Our team played just outstanding,” McClellan said. “It’s unbelievable to go out there in the fourth inning with a 7-0 lead.”
“Baseball players are huge on superstitions,” said Indians designated hitter Jason Herzog, who singled in a run during the three-run first and singled and scored during the three-run third. “Just winning Wednesday’s game took us into the next games with big confidence.” Spokane blasted Bears starter Greg Withelder for nine hits and seven earned runs in two-plus innings. Withelder’s earned-run average jumped from 2.23 to 3.76.
Aaron Melebeck’s two-run double in the first and Ray Hattenburg’s two-run double in the third highlighted Spokane’s big innings. Melebeck doubled in his third consecutive game and extended his hitting streak to six games.
Spokane’s Marco Cunningham improved his hitting streak to eight with an RBI single in the eighth. Cunningham is among the league’s top four in hits, runs, RBIs, stolen bases and on-base percentage.
The top three hitters in Spokane’s order went 15 for 39 (.385) during the series.
Spokane just missed its third shutout of the week. Saul Soto led off the eighth with a lined home run to left-center off Micah Mangrum.
Spokane won its fourth consecutive game after starting August with a 7-13 record.
“At the halfway point of the season, we were dog-tired,” McClellan said. “Remember, a lot of us came straight from playing all spring in college. But it seems like we’ve caught our second wind.”
Spokane finished its homestand 5-3. The Indians’ final homestand of the season, three games against Yakima, will begin Friday.
Notes
With three home games left, Spokane is averaging 4,959 in attendance. The franchise record is 4,929, set last year… . Indians catcher Justin Cowan isn’t expected to return this season from a thumb injury. Cowan’s .312 batting average ranks fifth in the league… . Umpire Alex Campbell, hit on the head by a foul ball while working behind the plate on Thursday, missed the game. Bob McCullough, who filled in after Campbell was hurt, again stepped in to work the bases… . An Indians fan visiting from a nursing home died of a heart attack while attending Thursday’s game.