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Jun. 28—For the second game in a row, a win required extra innings. And for the second game in a row, the home team celebrated with a walk-off victory.
Roynier Hernandez, among the league leaders in batting average this season, lined an RBI single with two on in the 10th inning and the Spokane Indians edged the Tri-City Dust Devils 3-2 in the finale of a six-game High-A Northwest League series at Avista Stadium on Sunday.
The Indians (5-4) have won three in a row and took four of six from the Dust Devils (4-5) this week. Each of the last three games were one-run wins and none of the six games in the series were decided by more than three runs.
"I just think it's a real testament to our guys, because none of these victories were easy," Indians manager Tom Sutaris said. "The guys just continued to battle, things happened that weren't great, and we continued to battle and came out on top. I think that's a sign of the resiliency we've developed over the course of the season."
Hunter Mann retired the Dust Devils in order in the top of the 10th. In the bottom half, with automatic runner Kelvin Hidalgo at second, Tommy Hopfe reached on a throwing error by reliever Nicolo Pinazzi, but Hidalgo had to hold. Both runners then moved up a base when Pinazzi uncorked a wild pitch to make it 2-0 to Hernandez.
Hernandez, who went 1-for-5 and is hitting .306 — second among qualified batters in the league — lined the next pitch the other way for a single to left and Hidalgo scored without a throw.
"That's the guy you want up with the game on the line," Sutaris said of Hernandez. "We have a few guys like that, but definitely (Hernandez). He puts the bat on the ball and is a good matchup for us.
"He's a heck of a ball player, really just has great bat-to-ball skills. He gives you a chance every time, and the way the game is played today, those kind of guys really stand out."
Indians starting pitcher Lebarron Johnson Jr. was sublime, allowing one run on one hit and one walk with six strikeouts over six innings. He threw 76 pitches, 51 for strikes.
"We wanted to take the series," Johnson said. "Start of the second half, we wanted to start strong. We'd been battling them back-to-back-to-back all week."
"(Johnson) was electric. He came out and he had a good fastball, and he mixed well," Sutaris said. "I thought Jack (O'Dowd) did a great job behind the plate with him, and he put us in position to win a ballgame."
The Indians got to Los Angeles Angels top prospect Tyler Bremner — the No. 2 overall pick in last year's MLB draft — for a run in the bottom of the first. Hopfe led off with a triple into the right center gap, then with two down he jogged home on O'Dowd's soft line -drive single.
Johnson Jr. was perfect until one down in the third when Capri Ortiz clubbed a full -count fastball over the tall wall in left center for his fifth home run of the season.
Hopfe led off the Indians ' third inning with a single and with two down, O'Dowd's liner to the track in right went for an RBI double and a 2-1 lead.
It stayed that way until the eighth inning. TC's Harold Coll led off with a double and went to third on a groundout. With two down, Indians reliever Nathan Blasick hit No. 9 hitter Johan Macias, then Jorge Ruiz's grounder to the third base line was knocked down but not handled by Ethan Hedges and Coll raced home to tie it.
Adrian Placencia led off the ninth with a single, stole second and moved to third on a groundout. Blasick got Matt Coutney to pop up to the infield then Peter Burns lined out to keep it tied.
Bremner went four innings for Tri-City. He allowed two runs on five hits and no walks with four strikeouts.
The Indians start a six-game road series at Hillsboro on Tuesday at 6:35 p.m.
Continue reading...
Roynier Hernandez, among the league leaders in batting average this season, lined an RBI single with two on in the 10th inning and the Spokane Indians edged the Tri-City Dust Devils 3-2 in the finale of a six-game High-A Northwest League series at Avista Stadium on Sunday.
The Indians (5-4) have won three in a row and took four of six from the Dust Devils (4-5) this week. Each of the last three games were one-run wins and none of the six games in the series were decided by more than three runs.
"I just think it's a real testament to our guys, because none of these victories were easy," Indians manager Tom Sutaris said. "The guys just continued to battle, things happened that weren't great, and we continued to battle and came out on top. I think that's a sign of the resiliency we've developed over the course of the season."
Hunter Mann retired the Dust Devils in order in the top of the 10th. In the bottom half, with automatic runner Kelvin Hidalgo at second, Tommy Hopfe reached on a throwing error by reliever Nicolo Pinazzi, but Hidalgo had to hold. Both runners then moved up a base when Pinazzi uncorked a wild pitch to make it 2-0 to Hernandez.
Hernandez, who went 1-for-5 and is hitting .306 — second among qualified batters in the league — lined the next pitch the other way for a single to left and Hidalgo scored without a throw.
"That's the guy you want up with the game on the line," Sutaris said of Hernandez. "We have a few guys like that, but definitely (Hernandez). He puts the bat on the ball and is a good matchup for us.
"He's a heck of a ball player, really just has great bat-to-ball skills. He gives you a chance every time, and the way the game is played today, those kind of guys really stand out."
Indians starting pitcher Lebarron Johnson Jr. was sublime, allowing one run on one hit and one walk with six strikeouts over six innings. He threw 76 pitches, 51 for strikes.
"We wanted to take the series," Johnson said. "Start of the second half, we wanted to start strong. We'd been battling them back-to-back-to-back all week."
"(Johnson) was electric. He came out and he had a good fastball, and he mixed well," Sutaris said. "I thought Jack (O'Dowd) did a great job behind the plate with him, and he put us in position to win a ballgame."
The Indians got to Los Angeles Angels top prospect Tyler Bremner — the No. 2 overall pick in last year's MLB draft — for a run in the bottom of the first. Hopfe led off with a triple into the right center gap, then with two down he jogged home on O'Dowd's soft line -drive single.
Johnson Jr. was perfect until one down in the third when Capri Ortiz clubbed a full -count fastball over the tall wall in left center for his fifth home run of the season.
Hopfe led off the Indians ' third inning with a single and with two down, O'Dowd's liner to the track in right went for an RBI double and a 2-1 lead.
It stayed that way until the eighth inning. TC's Harold Coll led off with a double and went to third on a groundout. With two down, Indians reliever Nathan Blasick hit No. 9 hitter Johan Macias, then Jorge Ruiz's grounder to the third base line was knocked down but not handled by Ethan Hedges and Coll raced home to tie it.
Adrian Placencia led off the ninth with a single, stole second and moved to third on a groundout. Blasick got Matt Coutney to pop up to the infield then Peter Burns lined out to keep it tied.
Bremner went four innings for Tri-City. He allowed two runs on five hits and no walks with four strikeouts.
The Indians start a six-game road series at Hillsboro on Tuesday at 6:35 p.m.
Continue reading...
