Indians beat T-C, not storm

Thunder and lightning called the game short at Avista Stadium, but not before the Spokane Indians sealed their second home victory of the season.

Spokane (2-6 home, 5-3 away) and the Tri-City Dust Devils broke the Northwest League record for most doubles in a game in the 8-3 Spokane victory on Tuesday night in front of a crowd of 6,813 at Avista Stadium.

The teams combined for 12 doubles, eight by Spokane. The previous record was 10, set in 2004 in a game between Tri-City and Yakima.

The weather delay for a thunderstorm was called in the top of the ninth at 9:55 p.m., when Tri-City had two base runners on with one out. Umpires called the game when rain started pouring, 30 minutes after the delay began.

Spokane starter Jose Jaimes (2.25 ERA) pitched three innings, allowing one hit and one run, which was earned. He was relieved by Austin Weilep who opened the fourth and allowed one run. He pitched 3 2/3 and allowed two runs. Brett Zamzow finished the game for Spokane.

A RBI double to the center field fence from third baseman Steve Marquardt in the fourth gave Spokane its first run of the game. Marquardt knocked in first baseman Chris Kemp who was hit by a pitch to open the inning. Marquardt scored the tying run when he stole third and the catcher overthrew the play.

Wally Backman reached on a walk and moved to third on the overthrow. He was knocked in by the second of Jay Heafner’s three doubles, forcing the Dust Devils to make a pitching change. Immediately following the change, Grant Gerrard delivered Spokane’s third RBI double, giving the Indians a 4-2 lead going into the fifth.

Tri-City answered with a base hit followed by a RBI single in the fifth. But Marquardt’s solo home run in the sixth boosted the Indians’ lead to 5-3.

Gerrard added another RBI in the sixth when he knocked in Heafner with a double down the left field line. Chad Tracy drove in Gerrard with a double to left field before the inning retired. The Indians wrapped up the sixth leading 7-3 with five base hits and three runs scored.

Spokane, which moved into first place at 7-9, will host the Yakima Bears in the first of a three-game series today at 6:30 p.m. at Avista Stadium. There will be a fireworks show in the park to make up for the missed Fourth of July show.