All-around play leads Indians past AquaSox

Thursday night’s winning pitcher credited the offense and defense with the win.

The offensive star tipped his cap to the pitching staff.

Both viewpoints were correct during the Spokane Indians’ 5-3 win over the Everett AquaSox at Avista Stadium.

Starter and winner Clint Brannon (2-0) allowed one hit during five shutout innings, and Travis Metcalf drove in his Northwest League-leading 48th and 49th runs as the Indians won the five-game series 3-2. Spokane and Everett split their 10-game season series.

The Indians (28-25) moved into a second-place tie with Tri-City, one game behind Boise in the East Division. Everett (29-24) remained two games ahead of second-place Salem-Keizer in the West.

Brannon struck out six, walked none, and threw no-hit ball until Brandon Green led off the fifth inning with a sharp single to left field.

“When the offense puts up runs and the defense plays the way it has been (a second consecutive errorless night), it’s pretty easy to go out there and get a win,” said Brannon, a left-hander from the University of Arkansas.

“The pitching staff did it tonight, from the second that Brannon came on,” said Metcalf, who finished 3 for 4 with two runs. “It’s fun to play defense behind that guy.”

Metcalf collected his 16th and 17th doubles of the season, moving him up to No. 2 among NWL hitters. His third-inning double down the line to left scored Billy Susdorf and Bobby LeNoir, both of whom had walked against Jason Snyder (1-2).

Metcalf scored Spokane’s third run when Mike Nickeas singled past a drawn-in infield in the fifth. Metcalf had lined a one-out double to left, just off the glove of Casey Craig.

Spokane extended the lead to 5-0 in the seventh. Michael Mask hit his second home run of the season, a long solo blast to right-center, and Metcalf singled and scored from first base on Jim Fasano’s single to right.

In five starts, Brannon has allowed two earned runs in 21 innings, striking out 22. For the season, he has an earned-run average of 0.79 in 34 innings.

“I got to come in and relieve against (Everett) during the first game of this series, so I kind of got a feel for their hitters,” Brannon said.

First Indians reliever Mark Roberts threw three innings and allowed three hits, including Omar Falcon’s two-out, RBI double in the eighth.

“Mark Roberts and I spent all day talking about their hitters and the way we were going to go after them,” Brannon said.

Everett first baseman Brandon Green hit a two-run homer to right-center in the ninth off Marcos Herrera. Spokane manager Darryl Kennedy didn’t waste time in summoning Indians saves leader Jarrad Burcie, who struck out the last two batters for his sixth save.

Spokane improved to 16-13 at home and 17-18 against teams from the West. The Indians have one series remaining against the West, a five-game set with Salem-Keizer.

The Indians play their next six games on the road, starting with tonight’s opener of a three-game set at Yakima. Justin Lensch (2-4, 5.57) is Spokane’s projected starter.

Spokane’s next home game is Aug. 20 against first-place Boise.