Skyler Messinger, Cole Messina hit 3-run homers; Spokane Indians rout Eugene in series opener 17-5

The Spokane Indians opened a six-game High-A Northwest League series against the Eugene Emeralds on Tuesday at Avista Stadium with a rare day game. The Indians hitters must have enjoyed the sunshine.

Skyler Messinger and Cole Messina both hit three-run home runs and the Indians clubbed the Emeralds 17-5 in front of the largest crowd of the season – more than half of which were elementary school students (see sidebar).

After a slew of one-run games on the road last week, the Indians (8-8) pounded out 15 hits – six for extra bases – and drew 11 walks off six Eugene (8-8) pitchers.

“Everyone through the lineup today had a great game,” Messinger said. “Just a just a great win all around. The whole lineup really produced, so it was a good win.”

“Some guys have been scuffling,” Messina said. “Some guys have been trying to get some hits, but they got them today. So, it’s good to see.”

Indians starter Michael Prosecky got the first two outs of the game without incident, but Charlie Szykowny’s two-out double started a rally. Quinn McDaniel scored Szykowny with a single and went to second on the throw. He stole third and scored on Zane Zielinski’s single.

But it was all Spokane after that.

Jared Thomas led off against Eugene starter Josh Wolf with a bunt single and stole second. Braylen Wimmer singled and with two down, Messinger jump-started the offense with long home run to left-center, his second of the season.

“(Eugene) came out hot and put two up on us right away, so we wanted to respond,” Messinger said. “I was just looking to be aggressive in that situation there and got a good pitch to hit and put a good swing on it.”

With two on and one down in the second, Thomas lined an RBI single and Andy Perez followed with a double off the base of the wall in center for two more.

Wimmer’s single to center scored Perez to make it 7-2.

Eugene mustered a run in the fourth, but the Indians’ bats went right back to work in the bottom half. Perez walked and Wimmer singled. With two down, Messina cranked one down the left-field line that stayed just inside the foul pole for his second homer of the season and a 10-3 lead.

“I felt like the team needed a little bit boost of energy,” Messina said. “I thought we were, you know, kind of getting complacent with the lead. I felt like I took good swing and, you know, lucked out.”

With his pitch count climbing, Prosecky came back out for the fifth but had no issues going 1-2-3, punching out the cleanup hitter McDaniel for the third out of the inning and the end of his appearance. Prosecky allowed three earned runs on seven hits. He did not walk a batter and struck out five, throwing 61 of his season-high 89 pitches for strikes.

“I thought (Prosecky) competed,” his catcher Messina said. “I thought that’s what we needed. He didn’t have his best stuff, but he gave us a chance to win. That’s all that matters.”

The Indians loaded the bases with no outs in the seventh on Caleb Hobson’s broken-bat single and back-to-back walks issued by reliever Elijah Pleasants. Eugene brought in Tommy Kane to face pinch-hitter Jesus Bugarin, who doubled into the left-field corner to plate two runs.

Aidan Longwell walked to load them again and Messinger ripped a double to left to bring in two more. Tevin Tucker delivered a two-run single and Thomas knocked in another one to make it 17-3.

“It’s good way to start the week off, for sure,” Messinger said. “We gotta make sure we stay locked in and turn the page tomorrow, though, because we’ve got a long week ahead of us.”