Pitcher of the month Stu Flesland sparkles again, Spokane Indians walk off Hillsboro in 10th 2-1

Spokane Indians pitcher Stu Flesland was recently named the Colorado Rockies organization pitcher of the month.

In July, the 24-year-old 2019 graduate of Mt. Spokane High School made six appearances – three starts – with a 2.25 ERA, 0.689 WHIP and 14 strikeouts against just three walks over 16 innings. He held opposing batters to a .148 batting average.

On Sunday, in the finale of a six-game series against last-place Hillsboro, Flesland kept his dominant streak rolling. And he got just enough help at the end.

Flesland tossed six shutout innings before being charged with an unearned run in the seventh – after he had left the game – and the Indians edged the Hops 2-1 in 10 innings at Avista Stadium.

Tied at 1-1 entering the bottom of the 10th, and automatic runner Caleb Hobson at second base, Blake Wright was asked to bunt the runner over. He got the bunt down, which was fielded by relief pitcher Carlos Rey, and he threw the ball down the right field line allowing Hobson to sprint home with the winning run.

“I was just trying to get the job done,” Wright said. “Fortunately, he threw it away and we won the game. The little things matter.”

Flesland turned in his fourth consecutive stellar outing. He allowed three hits and one walk with one strikeout, tying a season-high 78 pitches – eclipsing the 60-pitch mark for just the second time this season.

“Everything was working for me,” Flesland said. “I was just mixing it up and keeping them off the fastball, and then when they were looking for something soft, just go hard in with the fastball and try to keep their timing off the whole night. And that’s what worked out.”

Flesland started the season as a long reliever in the bullpen with mixed results. But in his last four appearances, all starts, he’s allowed just one earned run (0.47 ERA) and a combined nine hits and walks against 13 strikeouts over 19 innings.

“I think the main difference has just been being able to scout (opposing hitters) and kind of watch their (at-bats) and just kind of see how they do off other guys’ stuff,” Flesland said.

The Indians jumped on Hillsboro starter Junior Sanchez for a run in the first inning. Hobson led off with a single, moved to second on a balk, took third on a flyout and scored on a sacrifice fly by Aidan Longwell. Tommy Hopfe and Andy Perez added consecutive two-out singles, but Jesus Bugarin struck out looking to end the early rally.

Flesland retired the first five batters, then picked off Anderdson Rojas after a walk in the second inning. A squibbed infield single put runners on the corners with two down in the third, but he got out of the jam retiring Jansel Luis with a fly out.

Flesland set down 10 in a row through the middle innings and was bailed out by a terrific running catch at the wall in right by EJ Andrews, Jr. to retire Slade Caldwell’s bid for extra bases.

Hillsboro right fielder Angel Ortiz led off the seventh with a double, then Druw Jones hit a routine grounder to short. Andy Perez tried to get the runner at third, but Wright dropped the throw and all hands were safe.

That brought out Indians manager Robinson Cancel, who summoned Davis Palermo from the bullpen, ending Flesland’s outing. Modeife Marte ripped a line drive to left that Tommy Hopfe caught on a dive, but Ortiz hustled home on the play.

Palermo retired the next two to leave it tied at the stretch.

“Getting into the seventh, it was really an awesome experience to get there,” Flesland said. “Just a couple unfortunate things happened, and I wasn’t able to get through it, but then (Palermo) was able to come in and shut it down.”

The Indians put two on with two down in the eighth and ninth innings but weren’t able to push one across until extras.

Spokane starts a six-game road series in Eugene on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m.