Indians end Volcanoes’ hot streak
The red-hot Salem-Keizer Volcanoes were cooled off by the Spokane Indians on Wednesday at Avista Stadium.
Kellan McConnell pitched five strong innings and Lizahio Baez and Steve Murphy homered to lead the Indians (16-20) to an 8-3 Northwest League win over the Volcanoes (21-15) to open a five-game series before a crowd of 4,318.
Juan Maldonado pitched the last three innings to get his first career save and snap the Volcanoes’ seven-game winning streak.
McConnell struggled in the third inning, allowing four hits and three runs. But the positive, according to Indians manager Greg Riddoch, is that McConnell bounced back.
“It’s reason to be encouraged,” said Riddoch. “In the beginning of the season, pitchers were giving up three runs (one inning), then two runs (the next), then another. He gave up three then stopped. It was good – by far his best outing.”
After giving up the four hits, McConnell retired the next 10 batters as he fine-tuned a newly learned slider to improve to 3-4. He finished with six strikeouts and walked none.
“It came together, for the most part,” said McConnell, “It was a little disconcerting to give up three runs after we had scored three, but I knew we would score runs.”
After S-K tied the scored at 3 in its third, Baez got the lead back for the Indians with a two-run homer in the bottom of the third. Baez sent starter Kellen Ludwig’s first pitch, a low fastball, over the right-field wall for his sixth homer of the season.
Murphy hit his eighth homer in the seventh. With two out, Murphy drove a 2-0 pitch, a fastball away, over the left-center wall to make it 6-3.
Baez, who finished 3 for 4 with three RBIs, extended the Indians’ lead with an RBI single that scored Phillip Hawke.
Maldonado, who has also worked on his slider, gave up three hits as he pitched three scoreless innings in relief.
“Before, I was only throwing fastballs,” Maldonado said in Spanish. “Now, I have another pitch. I feel like I’m dominating better. I’m more confident about throwing that slider. Before I didn’t even want to use it. (Pitching coach Glenn) Abbott works a lot with us and the work is paying off right now.”
The Volcanoes, who had outscored their opponents 65-35 in the 10 games prior to coming to Spokane, were held to nine hits.
Spokane’s John Mayberry Jr. led off the second with a walk, his first of three on the night. Baez moved Mayberry to second with a single to right and Joey Hooft drove in both with a one-out double down the left-field line.
Julio Santana gave the Indians a 3-0 lead with a bloop single to center that scored Hooft.
Andy Busch led off the Volcanoes’ third with a single. After Johany Abreu doubled, Joey Dyche and Mike Mooney followed with RBI singles. Will Thompson’s ground out scored Dyche to tie the game at 3.