Beck’s big bat leads Indians past Bears

YAKIMA – A clutch double by Preston Beck combined with five innings of nifty relief pitching lifted the Spokane Indians to a 7-5 Northwest League victory over the Yakima Bears on Sunday. Beck came to the plate with two on and two out in the seventh inning and delivered a two-run double that broke a tie and gave the Indians a 6-4 lead. Spokane added a run in the eighth on a passed ball and Yakima scored without a hit in the bottom of the inning. Cody Kendall picked up his first win, lowering his earned-run average to 0.96 with two scoreless innings. Taylor Dennis pitched two innings, allowing the unearned run in the eighth, and Alec Asher pitched a scoreless ninth for his second save. Beck had a triple and another double in five at-bats and is batting .317. After committing nine errors in a 12-6 loss to Boise on Saturday, the Indians added five more on Sunday for a 17-game total of 46. The Indians (7-10) are two games behind East Division-leading Yakima (9-8).