Indians put it together, top Bears
Spokane Indians starting pitcher Michael Wagner set a tone in a series-clinching victory.
Wagner threw seven strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings in the 5-2 victory on Friday night against the Yakima Bears in Northwest League baseball play in front of a crowd of 5,432 at Avista Stadium.
While the Indians’ offense collected eight hits, Wagner, out of Washington State University, held Yakima back by giving up only four hits and one walk. Austin Weilep (Northport HS) relieved Wagner in the sixth and delivered four strikeouts – three in the ninth inning in picking up his third save.
“The pitching stayed ahead in the count and had a good pace,” Spokane manager Mike Micucci said. “Once you get the lead and the game starts to wind down, you almost feel things going in the right direction.”
Even with 12 errors in three games, Spokane (9-10) took the series against Yakima 2-1.
On Friday night Yakima (5-14) didn’t waste any time going ahead 1-0 with a triple and a single in its first two at-bats.
But Spokane claimed the lead for good in the bottom of the first when designated hitter Chad Tracy, who had two hits to boost his average to .321, doubled to score Nick Cadena, who had walked. Tracy advanced on a groundout and was knocked in with a base hit from Steve Marquardt.
Spokane, clothed in camouflage jerseys for “Hometown Heroes Night,” picked up another run in the second when No. 8 batter Chris Davis – who had a game-winning homer on Thursday night – ripped a double to center field and was knocked in by Billy Killian’s single down the right-field line. Davis, who got off to a staggering start at the plate this season, picked up two hits Friday.
Not satisfied with the two-run lead, Wally Backman Jr. opened up the fourth with a double to the right-center field wall and scored on Killian’s sacrifice fly, his second RBI of the night.
Before Friday night Killian was batting .192 with 26 at-bats. His 1-for-3 night Friday raised his average to .207.
“I just stayed in my approach and tried to minimize the downs and keep the ups as long I could,” Killian said of his two-RBI night batting in the No. 9 batting slot. “It’s still my job to just get on base.”
The Indians were given a free ride in the seventh with Yakima pitcher Pete Duda walking three and hitting a batter with a pitch, giving Spokane its fifth run. The home-plate umpire’s calls brought Yakima’s pitching coach Erik Sabel yelling out of the dugout, which led to an ejection. Once thrown out, Sabel threw a bat in the dugout and tried to get in the umpire’s face, but Yakima’s manager and the other umpire kept him separated.
Yakima’s Shane Byrne sailed a triple to the right-center field wall and an overthrow from center fielder Grant Gerrard to third base sent Byrne home, giving the Bears their last run.
Spokane heads to Pasco today to play a three-game series against the Tri-City Dust Devils. The Indians will return to Spokane Wednesday for a five-game home series against Everett.