Spokane Indians pregame: Teodoro Ortega opens series against Vancouver

The Spokane Indians (11-8) host the Vancouver Canadians (7-12) in the first of a three-game Northwest League series at Avista Stadium on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.

The Indians send righty Teodoro Ortega (2-2, 3.4) against RHP Alek Manoah (0-0, 0.00) for the Canadians.

Ortega is making his fourth start of the season and first since a loss to Vancouver on July 28. The righty has faced the C’s three times this season, allowing four runs with eight strikeouts over 9.1 innings.

Manoah was the Toronto Blue Jays first-round pick in this year’s MLB Draft our of West Virginia University. The 6-foot-6, 260 21-year-old has yet to allow a run while striking out 12 of the 23 batters he’s faced. He’s coming off a season-high three-inning performance with seven Ks.

Lineup: 1) Barreto-SS; 2) Irizarry-DH; 3) Crim-1B; 4) Asuncion-RF; 5) Garcia-C; 6) Ricumstrict-CF; 7) Ovalles-LF; 8) Hoover-2B; 9) Inoa-3B.

Weather: First pitch – Partly cloudy, 87. Final out – Clear, 69.

Player to watch: Blaine Crim. The 2019 NWL “Top Star” at the all-star game leads the league’s active players in average at .354. Crim is on an eight-game streak, hitting .429 with 10 RBIs over the stretch.

Last game: Jake Hoover scored, drove in a run and stole a base and the Indians beat the Boise Hawks 3-1 in the finale of a three-game series at Memorial Stadium on Tuesday.

The Indians (11-8, second half) swept the seven-game season series against Boise and have won five out of six overall since the All-Star break.

Reliever Jeifry Nunez (3-0, 2.95) allowed three hits and no walks with three strikeouts over 2.2 innings to earn the win.

Indians starter Ricky Vanasco (3-1, 1.85) didn’t factor in the decision. He went 3.1 innings and allowed one unearned run on three hits and three walks with five strikeouts..