Spokane Indians fall short in final home game against Tri-City 5-2; organization draws highest attendance since 1958

The home portion of the Spokane Indians season came to a close on Sunday at Avista Stadium. And though the Indians did not end up with a win in the final home game, it didn’t diminish the enthusiasm of a crowd of 6,494 gathered for the season-ending fireworks. 

The Tri-City Dust Devils rallied for four runs in the fifth inning, sparked by a three-run double by catcher Juan Flores, and the Indians fell 5-2. 

The big crowd was just the last in a season full of them – the Indians drew 264,416 in 66 home dates this season, the most since the year Avista Stadium opened 1958.

“I said pretty early in the year I was excited to see the crowd and get the experience of Spokane and then they lived up to the hype,” first baseman Aidan Longwell said. “They did a great job this year and really thankful to be able to play in front of them this year.”

Leading off the second inning, Tri-City second baseman Adrian Placencia sent a drive deep to right field. Outfielder Max Belyeu drifted back to the short wall, timed his leap perfectly and snagged the potential home run ball to bring it back into the park for the first out of the inning. 

It stayed scoreless until the bottom of the fourth. With two outs, Cole Messina registered the Indians first hit of the game, a double into the right field corner. Andy Perez followed, and his soft liner dropped in front of left fielder Rio Foster for an RBI single. 

The lead was short lived.

Colin Summerhill led off the fifth with a double, and Indians starter Everett Catlett hit No. 9 hitter Lucas Ramirez with one down. Anthony Scull singled to load the bases, then Flores doubled into the left field corner to plate all three runners. Catlett got a strikeout, but Foster lined an RBI single to center to put Tri-City (29-31) up 4-1.

The Indians (29-31) got one back in the bottom half. Tevin Tucker singled and stole second, Ben McCabe was hit by a pitch, then Tucker stole third. Belyeu hit into a fielder’s choice, and Tucker sprinted home with the Indians second run of the game. 

Tri-City added a run in the ninth off reliever Fidel Ulloa, and the Indians went 1-2-3 in the bottom half. 

Catlett went five innings, throwing 62 of his 100 pitches for strikes. He gave up four runs, all earned, on six hits and a walk with five strikeouts. 

The Indians start a six-game series in Eugene on Tuesday at 6:35 p.m.