Shortstops Give Indians Big Hits

The Boise Hawks forced shortstop Emiliano Escandon to leave Saturday’s Northwest League game, but did no better against his replacement.

Escandon drove in three runs with a single and his first professional home run, and Spokane’s other shortstop, Mark Melito, had a two-run single to lead the Indians to a 5-2 win.

Boise, chasing Portland in the Southern Division, fell to 25-18 and has lost four straight at home. Spokane is 17-26, with its sights on second-place Everett in the Northern Division.

Escandon, just returning from an injury to his right elbow, has nine RBIs in his last four starts.

The injury prevents the switch-hitting Escandon from batting right-handed. Melito took over for Escandon in the sixth inning when Boise replaced right-hander Kekoa Dafun with lefty Jimmy O’Quinn.

Melito’s single scored Joel Nations and Tyrone Frazier for the final 5-2 outcome.

Escandon had an RBI single in the third and a two-run homer to right field in the fifth after Boise took a 2-1 lead. Both hits came off starter and loser Keith Coe (1-3).

Jeremy Williamson was effective in his first start for Spokane, allowing an unearned run in the third and Ryan Kane’s eighth homer, a solo blast, in the fourth. Kane has a six-game hitting streak.

Jason Ritter (3-1), who entered in the fifth, earned the win after three innings of two-hit ball. Matt Saier pitched the eighth and ninth for his second save.

Spokane pitchers held Boise, with a league-best .270 batting average, to six hits. The Indians have allowed 15 hits in their last three games.

Boise leads the season series 4-2. The second game of this five-game series is tonight, with Spokane’s Modesto Villarreal (3-1) scheduled to start against Stevenson Agosto (2-1).