Gabriel Hughes dominant over five innings, Spokane Indians down Vancouver 11-6

The numbers for Spokane Indians starting pitcher Gabriel Hughes after six starts this season don’t tell the whole story. He entered play Wednesday with a 2-3 record, 7.48 earned-run average with 38 strikeouts and 11 walks over 27⅔ innings.

Three of his six starts have been stellar, allowing one or fewer runs. In two of his three starts he simply ran out of gas in his last inning of an otherwise solid start, inflating his ERA.

But last time out against Everett, the 21-year-old only lasted three innings and allowed six runs on eight hits and two walks with just three strikeouts. Two of the hits were homers, doubling his season total.

That appearance prompted the team to give Hughes an extra day of rest, pushing his start back this week to Wednesday instead of his typical Tuesday to lead off the series.

What a difference a day makes.

Hughes struck out eight over five dominant innings, and the Spokane Indians beat the Vancouver Canadians 11-6 in a Northwest League game at Avista Stadium on Wednesday. Vancouver leads the eight-game series 2-1.

Hughes allowed one run on two hits and two walks. He threw 79 pitches, 55 for strikes.

“It was really good being able to go out there put up five solid innings,” Hughes said. “Offense was great, defense was great behind me. It’s just an all-around great team win.”

Hughes got a note from a mentor earlier in the day – Clint Hurdle, the Colorado Rockies’ special assistant to the general manager.

“Hurdle sent me a text this morning, something about ‘stepping into the role that you’re given,’ ” Hughes said. “And it’s just very apropos for the game I had today. So, you show up for whatever role you’re given. Today I just happened to have all the stars align, and we got a great team win out of it.”

Hughes got off to a good start with a 1-2-3 first inning with a pair of strikeouts.

Reigning NWL Player of the Week Jordan Beck gave Hughes something to work with in the bottom half with his league-leading 13th homer of the season, a two-run shot.

“We’re hitting a ton right now, and they keep on coming,” Beck said. “They say homers come in bunches and maybe that’s what’s happening.”

Hughes opened the second with back-to-back walks and Indians pitching coach Ryan Kibler came out for a chat. Hughes struck out Alex De Jesus and coaxed a 6-4-3 double play to get out of the inning.

“You know, he just said, ‘Calm down, take a breath,’ ” Hughes said of the message from Kibler.

Hughes picked up two more strikeouts, sandwiching a ground-rule double in the third, but Rainier Nunez took one the opposite way to the short porch in right leading off the fourth to make it 2-1.

Yanquiel Fernandez got that one back with a solo homer off the caboose leading off the bottom half, his 11th of the season. Braxton Fulford singled, stole second and scored on a two-out double by Ben Sems. Adael Amador delivered an RBI single for a 5-1 lead.

Hughes retired the side in order in the fifth, ending his evening on a swinging strikeout of Jommer Hernandez.

“It felt great walking out after a strikeout,” Hughes said. “It’s a great feeling being able to go out there, throw up zeros, and then have the team firing on all cylinders.”

Spokane (21-18) loaded the bases with one down in the sixth, and Juan Guerrero lined one to left-center that Dasan Brown dove for and missed. It ended up as a bases-clearing triple. Guerrero scored on a sacrifice fly by Sems, and the Indians led 9-1 after five.

They reached double digits in the sixth. Amador singled, took second on a throwing error and scored on a single by Fernandez.

Luis Amoroso took over for Spokane in the seventh and allowed a two-run homer to Garrett Spain, his second of the season. Anderson Bido pitched the eighth and gave up a bases-loaded, two-run single, and Angel Chivilli allowed a solo home run to Alen Roden in the ninth.

The Indians and Canadians (21-18) are a half-game behind Eugene (22-18) for first place.