Yakima cruises to victory over Indians in NWL game

YAKIMA – With a win Monday, the Spokane Indians could have pulled within a game of the Northwest League-leading Yakima Bears.

The Bears didn’t give the Indians much of a chance as Yakima pulled away 7-3 in a baseball game before a crowd of 1,193.

Spokane (7-11) pulled within 5-3 in the eighth. But Yakima (10-8) put it away with two runs in the bottom of the inning on a double by Josh Parr.

Yakima starting pitcher Alexander Carreras (4-0) pitched six solid innings, giving up two earned runs on four hits, striking out three and walking three.

The teams play one more game tonight before they turn around and face each other three more times in Spokane, beginning Wednesday.

The Bears used three runs in the third to open a 4-0 lead. Daniel Poma reached on a walk to lead things off. He advanced to third on consecutive balks, the second and third of the game. Jacob House knocked Poma in with a single.

In the fifth, Spokane pulled within 4-2. Smerling Lantigua doubled and he scored when Christopher Garia doubled. Gabriel Roa knocked in Garia on a single.

Jimmy Comerota scored Shaun Cooper, who was hit by a pitch, with a single. Mark Ginther’s single scored House.

Yakima scored first, striking for a run in the first. Poma reached on a bunt single, stole second and moved to third on a balk. Poma scored on a Shaun Cooper sacrifice fly.

Joe Maloney led Spokane with two hits. Garia, Roa and Cam Schiller each had an RBI.

Rua continues to lead the Indians in batting average (.306).

The Indians stranded six runners.

Parr and Ginther led Yakima with two hits apiece, and Parr and Cooper had two RBI each.

Spokane starting pitcher Jose Valdespina (1-2) lasted just three innings, allowing four runs on five hits and one walk. He fanned four.

A positive note saw the Indians commit no errors after recent struggles in the field.