Indians win 3rd straight

EUGENE, Ore. – The Spokane Indians played Earl Weaver-type baseball on Friday night.

Weaver, the former successful manager for the Baltimore Orioles, used to sing the praises of the three-run homer. He would have enjoyed Spokane’s effort at Civic Stadium, as Mike Nickeas, Ben Harrison and Billy Susdorf hit three-run blasts during a 12-6 Northwest League baseball win over the Eugene Emeralds.

Spokane (23-19) won its third consecutive game and took a 2-0 lead in the five-game series. The Emeralds (14-28) lost for the eighth time in nine games and fell to 2-5 against the Indians this season.

Spokane still trails Tri-City by one game in the East Division because the Dust Devils (24-18) defeated Salem-Keizer 6-0.

The Indians led 5-0 after 2 1/2 innings, 8-1 after the fifth and 12-1 after 7 1/2 . Eugene made the final score respectable by scoring three runs after two outs in the eighth and adding two runs in the ninth, highlighted by Colton Morton’s league-leading 12th homer.

Nickeas hit his eighth homer of the season in the first inning, on a blast to left. Harrison’s third homer of the year went to left-center in the fifth. Susdorf connected for his fourth, to right-center in the seventh.

Spokane starter J.D. Cockroft (1-3) earned the win, allowing four hits and one earned run in five innings.

The loss went to Alfredo Fernandez, who was just named as a replacement to Tuesday’s All-Star game. The Indians reached the right-hander for five hits and four earned runs in three innings.

Right-hander Shawn Phillips (1-1, 4.73) of Spokane is scheduled to start tonight against Joel Santo (0-1, 7.45).

Spokane improve to 11-10 on the road and 13-14 against teams from the West Division.