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Spokane Indians

Spokane Indians pregame: John Matthews faces Tri-City in middle game of series

By Dave Nichols daven@spokesman.com(509) 459-5441

The Spokane Indians host the Tri-City Dust Devils in the second of a three-game Northwest League series at Avista Stadium at 6:30 p.m.

The Indians (14-10, first in North) will send RHP John Matthews (0-1, 4.91) against RHP Nick Thwaits (1-1, 3.26) for the Dust Devils (11-13, third in North).

Matthews, 21, was the Texas Rangers’ eighth-round pick in the 2019 MLB Draft out of Kent State. In three games (one start), Matthews has allowed two runs on three hits, a walk and a hit batter with six strikeouts.

Thwaits carries a 1.14 WHIP with 19 strikeouts over 19.1 innings in 2019.

Lineup: 1) Inoa-3B; 2) Garcia-C; 3) Asuncion-LF; 4) Gardner-1B; 5) Ricumstrict-CF; 6) Joseph-RF; 7) Morales-DH; 8) Martinez-2B; 9) Hoover-SS.

Weather: First pitch – partly sunny, 76. Final out – partly cloudy, 66.

Player to watch: Maxwell Morales, hitting sixth at DH. The slugger won the Indians preseason home run derby but playing time has been tough to come by for the 21-year-old first base. He’s hitting just .115/.233/.231 with one homer and four RBIs in 26 at-bats over nine games.

Last night: Josh Javier struck out six over four innings and the Indians beat the Tri-City Dust Devils 7-0 in the first of a three-game Northwest League series at Avista Stadium on Sunday.

The Indians (14-10) won their fourth in a row and maintained a two-game lead over Everett (12-12) and three over Tri-City (11-13) in the North Division.

Javier gave up one hit and one walk and hit a batter. He retired the last seven batters he faced and nine of the last 10.

Kellen Strahm went 2 for 5 with an RBI and is hitting .302 in 13 games. David Garcia went 2 for 3 with two runs and an RBI.

Honors: Indians starter Ricky Vanasco was named NWL pitcher of the week on Monday. Against Hillsboro on July 5 he allowed one hit and two walks over six innings with 10 strikeouts.

Ex-Indians news: Reliever Cole Uvila tossed three shutout innings with two walks and four strikeouts in Down East’s one-hit 7-0 win over Myrtle Beach. Curtis Terry went 2 for 4 with two homers and is hitting .339/.391/.597 in High-A. Diosbel Arias went 2 for 4 with a double (.314/.395/.416).