Solid pitching paces Indians past Bears

YAKIMA – Joey Butler went 3 for 3 and Carlos Pimentel pitched five effective innings to give the Spokane Indians a 6-1 Northwest League baseball victory over the Yakima Bears Monday night.

Pimentel gave up one run on three hits with one strikeout and three walks to earn his second victory of the season.

Yoon-Hee Nam replaced Pimentel to start the sixth inning and pitched three hitless innings with four strikeouts before Juan Peralta followed with a perfect ninth inning.

David Paisano and Justin Pickett chipped in two hits apiece for Spokane (10-4), which has won three straight.

The Indians maintained their one-game lead in the East Division standings over Tri-City (9-5) after the Dust Devils beat Boise 5-3.

Yakima fell to 6-8.

Game two of the 3-game series is tonight.