Newcomer Jose Cordova punctuates rally, Spokane Indians beat Tri-City 11-2

The Spokane Indians entered the Northwest League second half Friday night nursing several nagging injuries, and it only got worse. 

Adael Amador was placed on the injured list before the game, regular starters Sterlin Thompson and Juan Guerrero both missed another game, and centerfielder Benny Montgomery was hit by a pitch in the right hand in the first inning and left the game. 

The patchwork Indians did just fine.

Jose Cordova – added to the roster before the game – blew the game open with a two-run double in the sixth inning and the Spokane Indians beat the Tri-City Dust Devils 11-2 at Avista Stadium on Friday. 

The Indians (1-0, second half) tied the six-game series with Tri-City (0-1) at two games apiece.

“That’s a good start to the second half,” Indians manager Robinson Cancel said. “We needed that one.”

Jordan Beck and Zach Kokoska went deep, and Kokoska knocked in three.

“Offense, you know how it is – it goes up and down,” Cancel said. “And finally, we got back on track.”

“It was a huge win – first game I think we’ve actually played complete together, offense and defense,” Beck said.

Despite not starting, Cordova came to play. 

“I just have to be ready every day,” Cordova said. “That’s my role – to be ready in any situation.”

Tri-City starter Michael Darrell-Hicks, in his first High-A start, got into hot water in the first inning. Braiden Ward singled, then Montgomery took a fastball off his top hand and was replaced by Cordova. Beck walked to load the bases.

Kokoska popped out and Ward scored on a groundout by Nic Kent. Ben Sems walked to load the bases again for AJ Lewis, who struck out to end the inning.

D’Shawn Knowles tied it up for Tri-City with a long homer over the caboose in right center, his first of the season. Joe Stewart reached on a throwing error by Sems at third and scored on an RBI single by Arol Vera to make it 2-1.

Beck evened it up in the bottom half with a solo homer, his league-leading 18th of the season.

“It was a fastball in,” Beck said. “I’ve just been working on some stuff and staying locked in. Each and every day is different so just come to the park ready to play.”

With two down in the fifth, Beck walked and scored on a triple by Kokoska. Kent followed with a double and Spokane led 4-2.

Lewis and Robby Martin hit back-to-back doubles leading off the sixth to make it 5-2. Martin stole third, Aiverson Rodriguez walked and Ward singled to load the bases. 

That brought up Cordova, who drilled one into the right-center gap for a double to plate two runs. After a couple of walks, Ward and Cordova both scored on flyouts and the Indians led 9-2 after six.

“I know what (Cordova) is capable of doing,” Cancel said. “I had him in spring training a few times. I’ve seen him hit. It does not surprise me that he hit that ball off the wall.”

Kokoska added a two-run homer, his 14th, in the eighth. 

Indians starter Jaden Hill matched a season-high with four innings pitched. He allowed two runs, one earned, on five hits. He did not walk a batter and struck out three. Hill threw 52 pitches, 35 for strikes. 

Moves: Amador hurt his right hand/wrist on a checked swing on Saturday, was a late scratch for Sunday’s game, sat out Tuesday and was removed in the ninth inning on Thursday. He’s gone 0 for 9 since the injury. Amador is hitting .302 with nine homers, 35 RBIs and 12 stolen bases in 54 games. 

Cordova, a catcher/first base, was transferred from Albuquerque to take the roster space. Cordova has played just two games this season and 38 over the past three seasons.