Tevin Tucker knocks in three, Spokane Indians knock off first-place Eugene 7-4

For much of the season, the Spokane Indians’ offense had been led by the top of its batting order. But with Jared Thomas and Charlie Condon graduating to Double-A Hartford, the bottom of the Indians’ order is starting to pick up the pace.

No. 7 hitter Tevin Tucker went 3 for 4 with three RBIs, No. 8 hitter EJ Andrews Jr. reached base three times and homered for the second game in a row, and the Indians built a 7-0 lead through three innings and held off the Eugene Emeralds 7-4 in the third of a six-game High-A Northwest League series at Avista Stadium on Thursday.

The Indians (12-6) took a 2-0 lead in the second. Blake Wright led off the inning with his first High-A homer since his promotion on July 1 and fourth overall this season. Andy Perez followed with a single, went to second on a fielder’s choice and scored on Tucker’s RBI single.

Eugene’s Scott Bandura halved the Emeralds’ deficit with a one-out solo homer in the third.

Indians outfielder Braylen Wimmer led off the third with a walk and went to third on Aidan Longwell’s double. With one down, Perez bounced to first, but Charlie Szykowny’s throw home was wild and Wimmer scored. With two down, Tucker’s ground ball to short got under the backhand stab of Zane Zielinski and both runners scored to make it 5-1.

Andrews followed with his fourth homer of the season to increase the lead to 7-1.

With two down in the fifth and a runner at first, Eugene’s Bo Davidson lined one to center that Wimmer whiffed on, and it went all the way to the wall. Andrews tracked it down, and the relay nabbed Davidson at home trying for an inside-the-park home run.

Eugene (13-4) added a run in the sixth when Szykowny singled, went to third on Zielinski’s single and scored on a medium-deep flyout to left.

But relievers Hunter Mann, Francis Rivera and Cade Denton put up zeros in the last three innings to preserve the victory.

Stu Flesland (Mt. Spokane High) drew the starting assignment for the Indians. He went three innings and allowed one run on one hit, striking out two and walking one. He threw 45 pitches, 29 for strikes.

The series continues Friday at 7:05 p.m.