Javier Guevara delivers RBI single in eighth inning, Spokane Indians win fifth straight
Javier Guevara came through with a RBI single in the eighth inning and the Spokane Indians beat the Hillsboro Hops 4-3 in the second of a six-game High-A West series at Avista Stadium on Thursday.
[BOX SCORE courtesy MILB.com]
The Indians (47-44) have won five in a row. Hillsboro fell to 42-49.
“It feels good,” Guevara said through an interpreter. “Every time I come up, every at-bat, I just try to do something to help the team win.”
With two down in the eighth, Kyle Datres beat out an infield single and stole second. Guevara fell behind reliever Nick Snyder, but fought back to a full count before lining a single to center. A high throw from Jorge Barrosa allowed Datres to slide in with the go-ahead run.
“With the situation there with a man at second base, I just wanted to put one in play and see what happens,” Guevara said.
“Good for (Guevara),” Indians manager Scott Little said. “He’s been getting a couple of hits. I think this kid’s a good hitter. I’ve watched him in the past and just been been little long and little big at the plate. But you know, he came through tonight with the big knock.”
Datres came up limping after the play and suffered a hamstring injury, according to Little, and was removed from the game.
Dugan Darnell walked a batter in the ninth but struck out two to nail down his ninth save.
Indians starter Mitch Kilkenny beat Hillsboro twice in late June, striking out 14 in 11⅔ innings, and entered play with wins in six of his past eight starts. Other than a pair of home runs, he was just as solid on Thursday.
Kilkenny went seven innings and allowed three runs on four hits and a walk with eight strikeouts.
The 24-year-old right-hander has thrown at least six innings in eight of his 11 starts for Spokane this season.
“Kilkenny, he’s been doing that his last couple starts,” Guevara said. “He’s very focused. You know, in the game and then makes good pitches and has done a great job.”
Kilkenny gave up a triple high off the center-field wall on the first pitch of the game to Jorge Barrosa, then struck out the next two batters. But Andy Yerzy turned on a 2-2 fastball and crushed it to straight right for a 2-0 lead.
The Indians tied it in the third with some help from Hillsboro. With two down and runners at second and third, catcher Axel Andueza tried to pick off Isaac Collins at third, but he threw it into left field instead. Collins scored easily and Hunter Stovall hustled home from second on the play.
Yerzy hit his second homer of the game, and his third in consecutive at-bats dating back to Wednesday’s game, in the fourth.
“Kilkenny handled the right handers with ease,” Little said. “You know, not that he had a great big problem with the lefties, but he just left a couple of pitches out there to that one kid Yerzy.”
Spokane tied it again in the fifth. Cade Harris led the inning off with a triple and scored on a one-out single by Hunter Stovall. But with runners on the corners, Grant Lavigne struck out and Brenton Doyle bounced out to end the rally.
Around the league
Vancouver 9, Tri-City 4: Luis De Los Santos hit a three-run home run in the first inning and the Canadians (42-51) beat the visiting Dust Devils (36-57) in Hillsboro, Oregon. Will Robertson and Davis Schneider also homered for the C’s.
Everett 6, Eugene 4: Dariel Gomez went 2 for 4 with two RBIs and the visiting first-place AquaSox (55-36) edged the Emeralds (54-39). Eugene hit three home runs, including Sean Roby’s 15th of the season.