Indians move closer to 1st
Like a pop fly dropping untouched between three fielders, the Northwest League’s East Division has seen Boise, Tri-City and Spokane stare open-mouthed at each other while nobody takes control.
League rules state, though, that somebody has to win it.
Spokane took a step forward, putting together a 15-hit night to beat first-place Tri-City 8-3 in front of 4,404 fans at Avista Stadium, and pull within a game of the Dust Devils, who fell to 34-37.
Friday night’s rattling of the bats came after an eight-game stretch in which the Indians combined to bat .173.
It also happened with one healthy position player – Jonathan Higashi – on the Indians’ bench and an outfielder – Terry Blunt, who was flawless – playing second base.
“They just went out there and raked,” Indians manager Greg Riddoch said. “I’m baffled. Last week, we struck out 19 times, 15 times the next day, 14 times the next day and then we go out and do that.”
A big seventh inning, the first time in a while the Indians have strung together a bunch of hits, gave Spokane (33-38) a 6-3 lead.
K.C. Herren doubled with one out, and catcher Taylor Teagarden tied the game with a triple off the center-field wall. The relay throw to third by Dust Devils shortstop Pedro Strop sailed over Phillip Cuadrado’s head and got past pitcher James Burok (2-3), scoring Teagarden.
Later in the inning, with runners on second and third and two outs, third baseman Joey Hooft added a couple of much-needed insurance runs with a two-run double down the right-field line.
Herren went 4 for 5 with his fourth homer and two RBIs, Teagarden tripled twice and Freddie Thon stroked his 11th homer of the season, tying Lizahio Baez for the team lead.
“Tonight, everybody was on the same page, everybody had a night,” Herren said. “It’s a mental advantage (to start the series), especially when you’re hitting the ball like we did tonight. Even the outs we made were hard hit, so we could have had 20 hits.”
Warren Rosebrock (3-1) picked up the win of relief of starter Kellan McConnell, who gave the Indians five great innings, but faltered a little in the sixth, allowing three runs to give up a 2-0 lead.
Also in the league, Boise rallied in the bottom of the ninth to beat Yakima 3-2 and stay three games out of first.
For Spokane, if you believe in momentum, you can’t beat a game like that to kick off a series.
“If you could ask for one thing tonight to get us into the playoffs, it would be to have a night where you hit the ball really well and keep them down,” said Teagarden, wiping away the shaving cream from a pie delivered by Joe Kemp during a television interview. “Hopefully, we can keep it up all series. If we just come out and put guys on base and drive them in like we did tonight, I think we’ll be fine.”
Even if they fall short, the Indians have still won over Riddoch.
“Nothing these guys would do would ever surprise me, and I’ll live with it,” Riddoch said. “They don’t get (to the playoffs), I’ll live with it because I know it’s the best we can do.”
Notes
Nineteen-year-old right-hander Juan Jimenez, acquired by the parent club Texas Rangers in a trade from San Diego for Triple-A infielder Manny Alexander, joined the Indians yesterday. Jimenez was 4-4 with a 3.86 ERA in 13 starts for the Padres’ Arizona Rookie League affiliate, and threw a relief inning with the Eugene Emeralds of the NWL before being dealt. … Infielder David Peterson is the latest to join the injury corps, taking a bad-hop grounder off the right, throwing shoulder in Yakima. He is day-to-day. … The NWL named Avista Stadium the field of the year for the seventh time in nine years.