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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Indians claim second as Brannon sets record

The final Northwest League baseball game of the season lasted just long enough for Clint Brannon and a bit longer than the Spokane Indians expected.

But all worked out just peachy for the 6,343 fans at Avista Stadium Sunday night. Brannon set an NWL record for the lowest earned-run average in a season and the Indians scored with two outs in the 10th inning to defeat Tri-City 3-2, sweeping the three-game series.

Spokane (41-35) ended the season with a five-game winning streak to earn second place in the East Division, one game behind Boise (42-34) and one game ahead of T-C (40-36).

“There were times during the season when we could have laid down and quit,” said Indians manager Darryl Kennedy after Jim Fasano beat out an infield single in the 10th to allow Kevin Mahar to score the winner from third base. “But every time our backs got against the wall, they responded. We went through a lot of hard times, but I’m going to take away the good times.”

Brannon needed to throw 3 1/3 shutout innings to qualify for the ERA record. Working on three days’ rest, the left-hander from the University of Arkansas scattered four hits, struck out two and walked none.

As soon as Brannon hit 3 1/3 innings and had the league record (0.59 for 61 innings) in the bag, Kennedy called for reliever Clayton Jerome. Brannon exited to warm applause and handshakes and hugs from his teammates.

“The coaches asked me the other day if I could throw 3 1/3 ,” Brannon said. “They told me what was at stake. So I just went out there and threw the way I always do.”

Eugene’s James Campbell set the previous mark (0.73) in 1987.

The defense gave Brannon a boost in the second, when right fielder Mahar threw out Joseph Koshansky while attempting to go from first to third on a single, and in the third, with a 4-6-3 double play.

“Going out there, I really had the adrenaline going,” said Brannon, a 34th-round selection during June’s amateur draft. “I maybe tried to throw too hard, and a few guys got some solid hits off me. But I give the whole team credit for staying behind me the whole way.”

Brannon allowed four earned runs during the season, struck out 58 and walked 14.

Spokane carried a 2-0 lead into the ninth behind Travis Metcalf’s one-out solo home run in the fourth and Tug Hulett’s two-out RBI double in the fifth.

But Indians ace reliever Jarrad Burcie (3-0) surrendered Garret Gentry’s no-out, two-run lined homer to right in the ninth. Gentry punished Spokane for four doubles and two homers during the series.

Hulett, a second baseman, threw out Jose Valdez at home to end T-C’s 10th. Valdez attempted to score from second on an infield single to Hulett’s left.

Spokane rallied with two outs and nobody aboard in the 10th against Adam Bright (3-4).

Mahar walked against Adam Bright (3-4) and took third base on Metcalf’s third hit of the night, a solid single to left. The winning run crossed when T-C third baseman Dustin Hahn couldn’t gun out Fasano after a high chopper.

“Both teams battled,” Kennedy said. “Nobody wanted to quit. There was a lot of character shown on the field tonight.”

Spokane and T-C split 12 games this year. The Indians finished 23-15 at home, 22-14 vs. the East, and 5-4 in extra innings.

Spokane led the league in attendance for the fifth consecutive season, averaging 4,570 per home date. That figure ranks No. 8 in franchise history, slightly behind last season’s total.

Notes

Spokane’s final statistical leaders: batting average, Mike Nickeas, .288; hits, Travis Metcalf, 77; doubles, Metcalf and Jim Fasano, 21; triples, Bobby LeNoir, two; homers, Metcalf, 15; RBIs, Metcalf, 62; runs, Tug Hulett, 54; stolen bases, Hulett, 19; wins, Shawn Phillips and Marcos Herrera, six; saves, Jarrad Burcie, eight; ERA, Clint Brannon, 0.59; and strikeouts, John Bannister, 67. Hulett led the league in on-base percentage (.448) and walks (68), and Metcalf led the NWL with 37 extra-base hits. Spokane’s staff led the league in team ERA. … Indians first baseman Fasano was named the Texas Rangers’ minor-league player of the month. Fasano hit .311 with six homers, 12 doubles and 21 RBIs during August. … Spokane pitchers Jesse Ingram (4-1, 1.42) and Bannister (2-2, 3.51) were called up to Clinton (Iowa), which is attempting to win the Midwest League title.