Vancouver’s Fernando Perez silences Spokane Indians’ bats, ends modest winning streak

From staff reports

The Spokane Indians’ feast-or-famine offensive approach over the past 10 games did not work in the home team’s favor Wednesday.

The Indians mustered just five hits and watched the Vancouver Canadians pull away in the latter innings for a 5-1 victory in the fourth of a six-game High-A Northwest League series at Avista Stadium.

The loss ended a three-game winning streak for the Indians (15-15). Vancouver (14-16) won their first in four games.

Vancouver starting pitcher Fernando Perez allowed just one run on five hits over six innings for his first win in three decisions. He did not walk a batter and struck out three.

Indians starter Michael Prosecky (2-3) was nearly as good. The 24-year-old lefty struck out seven over six innings and allowed two runs, four hits and a walk. Both runs came via solo homers.

Prosecky gave up a solo shot to Sean Keys, his third of the season, in the fifth to break a scoreless tie.

Tevin Tucker’s sacrifice fly in the bottom half drove in Skyler Messinger for the Indians’ only run.

Carter Cunningham led off the sixth with his second home run of the year to give the C’s a lead they would never relinquish.

Vancouver tacked on single runs in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings off relievers Braxton Hyde and Hunter Mann to produce the final outcome.

Spokane scored nine runs in each of its previous two wins against the Canadians, but the Indians hadn’t scored more than three runs in their preceding six games – a stretch that began after a nine-run outburst at home against Eugene on April 27.