Eugene hits three homers, Spokane Indians fall 4-2 in third game of series

From staff reports.

Luis Toribio led three players with home runs and the Eugene Emeralds beat the visiting Spokane Indians 4-2 in the third game of a six-game High-A Northwest League series at PK Park on Thursday. 

The Indians fell to 8-9 in the NWL second half.

Luis Matos hit a solo homer in the first and Toribio did the same in the second to give the Emeralds a 2-0 lead against Indians starter Evan Shawver. It was Toribio’s 12th of the season.

Shortstop Julio Carreras extended his hitting streak to 14 games with an RBI single in the third to get the Indians on the board. 

Spokane tied it in the sixth. Zac Veen reached on a soft line drive single, stole second and third and scored on a passed ball to tie it. Veen leads the NWL with 41 stolen bases.

Things got heated in the bottom half. Shawver thought he had strike three on Vaun Brown, but first base umpire Hector Cuellar ruled Brown checked his swing, despite protestation from Shawver and manager Scott Little. 

On the next pitch, Brown launched a long home run to left, and Little went ballistic, first arguing with home plate umpire Memo Rodriguez and getting ejected before letting Cuellar have it on his way down the right field line to the visitors’ clubhouse.

The Emeralds (9-9) loaded the bases with two down and reliever Shelby Lackey walked in a run to make it 4-2.

The Indians loaded the bases with one out in the eighth, but Hunter Goodman and Colin Simpson struck out swinging to end the threat.

Shawver (3-7) went 5 2/3 innings and allowed four runs on five hits and a walk with seven strikeouts. 

The series continues Friday at 6:35 p.m.