Still winless at Avista
Michael Wagner was a catcher from his T-ball days up until his senior year in high school, then he was awarded a pitching scholarship.
Now Wagner, drafted this year by the Texas Rangers in the 18th round out of Washington State University, is pitching for the Spokane Indians.
Wagner started on the mound for Spokane on Sunday night in an 8-3 loss to the Tri-City Dust Devils in a Northwest League game in front of a crowd of 3,708 at Avista Stadium.
“It’s different having to play every day,” Wagner said. “It’s a job. It’s unbelievable – I get to wake up and play baseball every day.”
Tri-City took sole possession of first place in the Eastern Division at 6-8 (4-4 home, 2-4 away). Spokane falls a game behind at 5-9 (0-6 home, 5-3 away).
Wagner fanned three batters in the second inning, but set up the Dust Devils with a walk and a hit batter and Bret Berglund took advantage, delivering an RBI single.
At the plate Tri-City’s offense found the holes in Spokane’s outfield in the third inning. Leadoff batter Anthony Jackson opened with a base hit to right field and promptly stole second. Jackson tagged up on a flyout to the outfield and was on third when Victor Ferrante knocked him in with a base hit to left field. Ferrante then scored on a passed ball, giving the Dust Devils a 3-0 lead.
Spokane’s leadoff batter Craig Gentry, who is tied for fourth in the league with five doubles, added another double in the bottom of the third with one out, but was left on base after two flyouts. Gentry had three of Spokane’s eight hits but did not score.
“The bats are coming around, but we didn’t have success with pitching,” Spokane manager Mike Micucci said. “We didn’t command the fastballs.”
After Wagner was taken out in the fourth, Spokane worked the bullpen and sent out a different pitcher every inning, except for Brett Zamzow who pitched the two final innings. Spokane’s pitchers totaled 11 strikeouts, four by Wagner.
Spokane jumped right on the three-run deficit in the fourth. First baseman Chris Kemp opened with a base hit to left field and scored Spokane’s first run when third baseman Steve Marquardt hit his second triple of the season. Left fielder Brian Nelson drew a walk and catcher Billy Killian knocked in Marquardt with a single over the shortstop. Gentry continued the rally with a hard grounder to second base, scoring Nelson and tying the game at 3.
Spokane reliever John Slusarz opened the fifth and, though he added one strikeout to the 11, loaded the bases with three walks and a hit batter. Slusarz walked in one run and a wild pitch scored the fifth run for Tri-City.
Brennan Garr relieved Slusarz in the sixth and gave up a base hit followed by a home run from Michael McHenry, giving Tri-City a 7-3 lead.
Patrick Donovan, out of Gonzaga University held the Dust Devils in the seventh, then Zamzow pitched a scoreless eighth before giving up a solo home run by Ferrante in the ninth.
Game 2 of the three-game series against the Dust Devils is today at 6:30 p.m. at Avista Stadium.