Tyler Davis, Spokane Indians bullpen dominant in 4-1 win over Everett AquaSox

Tyler Davis and the Spokane Indians have taken their share of lumps this Northwest League season, but all of that was pushed aside Thursday.

Davis (3-1) pitched six no-hit innings and the Indians finished with a two-hitter as they closed out their home schedule at Avista Stadium with a 4-1 victory over North Division second-half champion Everett.

“I definitely wanted to make sure that I finished the year strong and I feel really happy with how I ended the year,” said Davis, a right-hander from the University of Washington who entered the game with an earned-run average of 6.14. “What happened at the beginning doesn’t matter. It’s all about how you end.”

“Tyler got his first start against these guys over (in Everett),” Indians manager Tim Hulett said. “He gave up three runs (two earned), but he pitched really good over there. He just backed it up again tonight. He did a great job. Maybe he’s trying to send a message that he likes starting.”

Spokane finished 19-19 at home and 4-8 against the AquaSox.

The no-hitter ended when Adam Choplick relieved for Davis in the seventh. The first batter Choplick faced, Conner Hale, dropped a double into right field. Hale scored on Yordi Calderon’s two-out single.

“(Choplick) didn’t have his command that first inning he pitched, but his second inning (the eighth) he really locked in and that’s how he’s pitched for most of the season,” Hulett said.

Omarlin Lopez pitched a perfect ninth, with two strikeouts, for his first save of the season.

“My job was done and I was just rooting on Adam Choplick,” Davis said. “He came in and did his job and got us into the ninth and Omarlin Lopez did a great job closing it out.”

Davis escaped a one-out, bases-loaded jam in the fifth with a pop foul and strikeout.

The Indians made Everett starter Luiz Gohara (3-7) pay for his wildness in the fourth. After two walks and a single, Jamie Potts jumped on Gohara’s first pitch and lined a bases-clearing double to right-center.

“Pottsy’s a little messed up,” Hulett said of his left-handed-hitting outfielder. “He has great numbers against lefties and his numbers against righties aren’t nearly as good. I like to get a left-handed bat in there and he’s been really competitive this year.”

Ti’Quan Forbes went 3 for 4, with a double and one run, for one of his best offensive performances of the season.

“He’s really come on the last three or four weeks, just swinging the bat a lot more consistently,” Hulett said. “I gave him a little bit of a hard time after he hit that (opposite-field) double. I said, ‘Hey, you discovered there’s another part of the field and it’s OK to hit to it.’ ”

The Indians will close out their season with games today, Saturday and Sunday in Kennewick against the Tri-City Dust Devils. Tri-City will then travel to Everett on Monday to open the best-of-3 divisional playoffs.