Portland Pitching Shuts Down Indians In First Meeting Of Season

Thu., July 27, 2000

The first meeting between Spokane and Portland since last September’s Northwest League championship series had an entirely different tone.

Portland pitchers retired 16 consecutive batters during one stretch Wednesday night and defeated the Indians 4-1 to open a five-game series at Civic Stadium.

Spokane swept last year’s best-of-5 championship series, outscoring the Rockies 26-7. Counting the title series, the Indians had won five consecutive games from Portland.

Spokane (18-17) fell one game behind Yakima and Everett - both winners - in the North Division. Portland (18-16) remained one game back of Eugene in the South.

Left fielder Brad Hawpe had a run-scoring single during Portland’s three-run first inning and added an RBI double in the third. Hawpe leads the league with 13 doubles.

Right fielder Jamie Rock added a two-run triple to left-center in the first off Indians starter Jon Metzger (0-1). Metzger, making his fourth start, lasted just three innings.

Winner Chris Buglovsky (1-2) scattered six hits in six innings for his first professional win.

The Indians had four consecutive hits off Buglovsky in the second inning, but their scoring was limited to Marco Cunningham’s two-out RBI double off the wall in left. Jermaine Smiley was thrown out at third base before Cunningham’s hit, and Darren Fenster slipped while rounding third base and couldn’t score on the double.

Spokane relievers retired 14 of the final 15 Rockies. Portland went hitless after Kevin Blocker’s single in the fourth.

Spokane is 6-8 on the road. The Indians are 14-12 against teams from the South Division.

Notes

Spokane and Portland rank 1-2 in league attendance, with the Indians’ 4,964 per game average well ahead of Portland’s 4,499… . Spokane batters lead the league in walks (181) and are second in runs (191)… . Indians first baseman Chad Santos leads the league with eight homers but is in a 5-for-57 slump… . Spokane has fewer homes games left (17) than any NWL team… . The Indians will play 12 of their final 15 games against Yakima.

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Portland Pitching Shuts Down Indians In First Meeting Of Season

Jesse Tinsley

Jim Meehan

Molly Quinn

Rob Curley

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