Jack Blomgren triples, homers for Indians in win over Emeralds 7-3
Jack Blomgren provided the spark for the Spokane Indians, who used a hot stretch of offense in the middle innings of Friday’s game to separate for a comfortable win over the visiting Eugene Emeralds.
Blomgren hit a two-run triple in the fourth inning and added a solo home run in the sixth to headline an entertaining spurt from Spokane’s lineup. The Indians totaled 10 hits – eight between the fourth and sixth innings – and opened the second half of Northwest League competition with a 7-3 victory over Eugene in front of 6,316 fans on a pleasant evening at Avista Stadium.
The Indians also got an effective start from Chase Dollander, who worked through six innings.
Spokane managed one baserunner through the first three innings, but their offense broke through in the fourth. Kyle Karros drew a walk and Bryant Betancourt followed with a two-out single to set up Blomgren’s first highlight of the night. The shortstop launched a triple – his first of the year – off the wall in right-center. On the next pitch, Spokane first baseman Jose Cordova tripled to the same spot in right field.
Eugene (33-33) trimmed the deficit to 4-3 in the sixth, but Blomgren responded with a deep shot over the left-field wall. Outfielder EJ Andrews bunted a run across later in the inning, and catcher Bryant Betancourt plated an insurance run with a single in the seventh.
Spokane outfielder GJ Hill contributed a solo home run, his seventh of the year, in the fifth inning. Betancourt finished 3 for 4 and second baseman Dyan Jorge went 2 for 4 with a double in the fifth. In all, eight Indians reached base.
Dollander surrendered two hits in both the second and third innings, but settled in afterward. The top pitching prospect in the Colorado Rockies’ organization, Dollander improved to 3-1 on the season after pitching six innings. The right-hander gave up three earned runs on six hits, walking two and striking out six. He threw 96 pitches, 62 for strikes.
Spokane’s Zach Agnos worked the seventh and eighth innings. He struck out four and didn’t allow a baserunner.
Eugene opened the scoring in the second on Justin Wishkoski’s RBI single. Rodolfo Nolasco hit a two-run homer off Dollander in the sixth to make it 4-3.
Eugene starter Will Bednar allowed one hit and struck out four over two innings.
Reliever Daniel Blair (0-6) gave up five runs on eight hits in 3⅓ innings. Eugene’s offense finished with six hits and struck out 11 times.
The teams meet again at 7:05 p.m. Saturday.