Helcris Olivarez gives Spokane Indians quality start in win over Tri-City

Sometimes when you watch Spokane Indians left-handed starter Helcris Olivarez pitch, you have to stop and remind yourself he’s only 20. 

The big fastball. The unhittable slider. The competitive spirit. It’s all there. 

The only things missing are control and consistency. 

Indians manager Scott Little has said on several occasions this year, “That why he’s here.”

Olivarez followed up two solid road performances with another, albeit uneven, at home on Thursday, and the Indians downed the Tri-City Dust Devils 6-1 in the third of a six-game High-A West series. 

[BOX SCORE courtesy MILB.com]

Brenton Doyle drove in a pair, including a solo home run in the sixth, his seventh of the season.

“Everything’s electric,” Little said of Olivarez. “His arm, I mean, he’s got a great arm, and he really is a super kid too. Outstanding person. You want to root for him.”

In his last two outings, Olivarez allowed just three hits and two runs across 10 innings while striking out 18 batters.

On Thursday, he gave up a run on three hits, three walks and two hit batters, with three wild pitches – and just three strikeouts. He threw 58 of his 97 pitches for strikes.

“There’s some adjustments gonna have to be made,” Little said. “You know, he’s gonna have to repeat, he’s going to be more consistent if he wants to pitch in the big leagues.

“Great arm, but at some point it’s not really gonna cut the mustard. So hopefully he can keep improving and have a little more consistency.”

The only run Olivarez allowed came in his last inning of work without the benefit of a base hit: he hit a batter, uncorked a two-base wild pitch, and a second wild one allowed the run to score without a throw.

“He probably should have had a shut out,” Little said. “But he threw enough strikes, made enough quality pitches. It’s a fight for sure when he’s out there.”

Olivarez (2-7) allowed two walks and a hit in the top of the first, but a pickoff and an outfield assist helped keep it scoreless. 

The Indians (23-28) plated the first runs of the game in the bottom half against T-C starter Zach Linginfelter (0-5). With one down, Niko Decolati reached via error, went to third on a double by Aaron Schunk and scored on a groundout.

Doyle then lined a two-out single to right to plate Schunk.

“I was really trying, with runners in scoring position, to get a ball where I could definitely get a barrel on it and find some grass in the outfield, and sure enough he threw me at fastball outside.”

“It was good to get that two-out RBI, put another one up there,” Little said.

They added on in the second. Hunter Stovall walked, stole second, advanced on a wild pitch and scored on a fielder’s choice. 

Olivarez settled down, allowing four base runners over the next three innings. In the sixth, however, he hit Luis Del Valle with one down, then consecutive wild pitches allowed the outfielder to get all the way around for the lone run for Tri-City (17-33).

“We needed him to go 5, 6 innings tonight,” Little said. “You have no idea how bad we needed him to go five, six innings, regardless of score, and, you know, he kept plugging along.”

Doyle’s blast made it a three-run game again in the bottom half. 

“Anytime you can see single-handedly put a run up on the board, help the team get a run back, it’s a really good feeling,” Doyle said.

Niko Decolati added a two-run single in the seventh for some insurance.

Fireworks postponed: The club announced before the game the fireworks displays planned for Saturday and Sunday for the holiday weekend are postponed due to the increased fire danger in the region. “Given the recent excessive heat warnings and dry conditions in our region, not holding these shows is the right decision for our community,” senior vice president Otto Klein said.

Around the league

Eugene 3, Hillsboro 1: Armani Smith hit a two-run homer in the first inning and the visiting Emeralds (33-17) held off the Hops (19-30). Aaron Phillips (3-4) allowed one run on seven hits and three walks over seven innings for the win.

Everett 7, Vancouver 3: Austin Shenton went 3 for 3 with a solo homer and four RBIs and the AquaSox (32-17) beat the visiting Canadians (26-25). Rafael Lantigua hit a three-run homer for the C’s.