Aidan Longwell homers twice, Spokane Indians power past Vancouver 9-2

The Spokane Indians had a tough time scoring runs on last week’s road trip to Tri-City, mustering just 11 runs in the series. They made up for it at home on Tuesday in a big way.

Aidan Longwell led the attack with two home runs and the Spokane Indians beat the Vancouver Canadians 9-2 in the opener of a six-game High-A Northwest League series at Avista Stadium.

Longwell finished 3 for 4 with two runs and four RBIs. No. 9 hitter Caleb Hobson doubled, walked twice, stole three bases, scored twice and knocked in a run.

“It was good to set the tone,” Longwell said. “We struggled a little bit as an offense (last week). So to be able to get some runs here early and set the tone for the week is great.”

The Indians (14-14) blew it open with three runs in the fourth and four in the sixth.

Tied at 2 entering the fourth, the Indians’ offense picked up. Sklyer Messinger singled, then Jean Perez’s tapper in front of the plate was thrown down the right-field line, putting runners at second and third. Messinger trotted home on a groundout, then Hobson drew a walk.

When Canadians starter Jauron Watts-Brown uncorked a wild pitch, Perez raced home and Hobson hustled to third. The Canadians made a pitching change, but lefty reliever Kai Peterson forgot about Hobson at third and the speedy outfielder stole home to make it 5-2.

Tevin Tucker and Hobson both walked and stole bases in the sixth. With two outs, Braylen Wimmer doubled them both home. The next batter, Longwell, cranked his second homer of the game off the roof of the caboose in right-center to make it 9-2.

“(The caboose) is a nice target out there,” Longwell said. “I like when it bangs off the roof. I felt like I got a good pitch up and in. I was able to get it elevated a little bit and get it out of here.”

Canadians leadoff hitter Adrian Pinto clobbered Indians starter Konner Eaton’s fourth pitch of the game over the wall in the deepest part of right-center field for his fifth home run of the season.

The Indians jumped on Watts-Brown in the bottom half. Jared Thomas ripped a double into the right-field corner and Wimmer was hit by a pitch. Longwell followed with a double to score Thomas and tie it.

Sean Keys led off the Canadians (13-15) second with a walk and Jackson Hornung laced a triple to the left-center gap to make it 2-1. Eaton settled down to get the next three in order and strand Hornung at third.

Longwell crushed a 2-1 offering in the third for a long homer to right, his third of the season. The ball cleared the batting cages and bounced well into the grass parking lot beyond the right-field plaza.

“I was just looking for a good pitch to hit,” Longwell said. “I saw him pretty good in my first at bat, just looking for something. I worked to a good count, to get a heater, and got it and was able to get to it.”

Eaton (1-2) retired 12 in a row after giving up the second-inning run. He went five full and allowed two runs on four hits with five strikeouts.