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Spokane Indians

Spokane Indians pregame: Zak Kent makes first start in opener against Salem-Keizer

By Dave Nichols daven@spokesman.com(509) 459-5441

The Spokane Indians face the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes in the opener of a three-game Northwest League series at Avista Stadium at 6:35 p.m.

The Indians (10-7, first in North) will send right-hander Zak Kent (0-0, 10.80) against RHP Luis Moreno (0-1, 4.32) for the Volcanoes (10-7, second in South). In his debut for the Indians on June 24, Kent allowed three runs on two hits and two walks with two strikeouts over 1.2 innings.

The Texas Rangers assigned 2019 MLB Draft second-round pick RHP Ryan Garcia to the Indians. The 21-year-old helped UCLA to the College World Series super regionals, where they fell to eventual runners-up Michigan.

In his junior season, Garcia went 10-1 with a 1.44 ERA over 91 innings. He struck out 117, walked 26 and allowed just 16 extra-base hits.

Lineup: 1) Hoover-2B; 2) Anderson-DH; 3) Gardner-RF; 4) Ricumstrict-LF; 5) Garcia-C; 6) McReynolds 3B; 7) Joseph-CF; 8) Crim-1B; 9) Inoa-SS.

Weather: First pitch – Mostly sunny, 84. Final out – partly cloudy, 71.

Player to watch: Jake Hoover. The Rangers 28th round pick this year out of Hillsdale (Michigan) College is hitting .261/.370/.3498 in 23 at-bats since being assigned to the team on June 21. He is hitting out of the leadoff spot for the first time on Monday.

Last night: Luis De Los Santos hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth inning and the Vancouver Canadians rallied to beat the Spokane Indians 5-4 on Sunday.

The Indians (10-7) appeared headed for their 11th victory of the season after scoring three runs in the top of the eighth inning to take a 4-1 lead.

But the Canadians (5-12) rallied right back and scored three runs – one earned – off Jeifry Nunez who breezed through the sixth and seventh innings before running into trouble in the eighth.

Ex-Indians news: DH Curtis Terry went 2 for 4 with a double for High-A Down East. He’s hitting .314/.390/.514 and has multiple hits in four of his last five games.

1B Sherten Apostel went 2 for 3 with a walk and his 12th home run of the season for Low-A Hickory. He’s hitting .255/.332/.460. In June, Apostel led all of low-A in homers (eight) and slugging (.688).