It’s Indians vs. Canadians in playoffs
Loss to Vancouver sets up matchup
VANCOUVER, B.C. – The Vancouver Canadians scored three runs with two out in the sixth inning in posting a 5-3 victory over Spokane on Sunday to clinch the Northwest League’s second-half North title and set up a divisional playoff matchup with the first-half champion Indians.
The two clubs face each other in a regular-season finale today in Vancouver.
The playoff series will also begin in Vancouver on Tuesday with the second game on Wednesday in Spokane. If necessary, a third game would also be played in Spokane on Thursday. The series winner will play the South champ for the league title. Hillsboro and Boise are paired in the South Division series.
The Indians (15-22 second half) had taken a 3-2 lead in the top of the sixth when Luke Tendler’s two-out single brought in Diego Cedeno, who had doubled to lead off the inning.
The Canadians then rallied against Eric Swanson (1-2), who came on in relief of starter Andrew Barnett with one out and a runner on second. A walk and a single brought in the tying run before Vancouver took the lead with a double steal. Another base hit scored the game’s final run.
Spokane scored two runs in the first on two walks plus RBI singles by Tendler and Josh Morgan.
Vancouver (20-17) knotted the score at 2-2 in the third inning with a pair of two-out singles sandwiched around a triple.
Tendler was the only Spokane player with two hits. His two RBIs gave him 57 this season, four off the league lead. He also has 11 home runs, tied for the lead. Indians Eduard Pinto (.336) and Seth Spivey (.335) are 1-2 in NWL hitting with Tendler sixth (.316).