Indians put it together

Kyle Rogers was more upset about how he gave up his lone base hit than the hit itself.

Rogers pitched seven scoreless innings in the Spokane Indians’ 4-1 victory over the Vancouver Canadians Monday afternoon in Northwest League baseball play in front of 3,465 spectators at Avista Stadium. Spokane took the five-game series 4-1.

“I was more upset that I was trying to come in on the guy with a 0-2 pitch and I ended up giving him the ball right over the plate,” Rogers said.

The hit came from Vancouver leadoff batter Larry Cobb in the fourth inning.

“You just can’t say enough about it,” Spokane manager Mike Micucci said. “He goes seven innings, gives up one hit, no runs – really extends all the way through the game. I thought he made some really good pitches.”

Rogers said he was trying to hold down his fastball in the zone and had some good sliders and changeups.

Rogers was recently moved down from the Clinton Lumberjacks and joined the Indians’ pitching staff in Game 1 of the Vancouver homestand. He made a one-inning appearance on Friday night and continues to post a 0.00 earned run average.

“I was a little nervous,” Rogers said about starting. “I was feeling the crowd a little better over here and it’s nice to play in front of a bigger crowd.”

With the help of defense yielding no errors and hustling to make plays, Rogers said the Game 5 victory was a group effort. Right fielder Wally Backman Jr. made a diving catch and threw to first to catch a base runner that didn’t tag up.

“That play that Wally made, that was a big league play right there,” Rogers said. “If I have someone doing that when I’m out there pitching, it takes pressure off me because I know I can give up some balls that are hit pretty hard and that the defense is going to catch them for me.”

Micucci also credited Backman’s catch calling the play “unbelievable.”

Backman also contributed offensively going 2 for 3, including a two-run double in the second inning.

“It was an all-around good game,” Backman said. “Every guy, one through nine in the lineup, swung the bats well and the pitching was dominant.”

Spokane was up against Scott Deal (6-2), the No. 3 pitcher in the league with a 2.01 ERA. Spokane racked up nine hits against him.

Designated hitter Chad Tracy put the Indians on the board with an RBI single in the first inning. Tracy finished 2 for 3 with a double. Jay Heafner went 2 for 4 and drove in Spokane’s final run with a single in the fifth.

Austin Weilep relieved Rogers in the seventh and yielded two hits, including a home run to Lorenzo Macias in the ninth inning. Both Weilep and Rogers had one walk.

The Indians will hit the road today for a three-game series against the first place Boise Hawks.