O’Banion, Terry hit homers and Spokane Indians hold off Everett

Young talent is not always the recipe for success. The Spokane Indians learned that quickly in the Northwest League season’s first half, when their young squad quickly sank to the bottom of the standings.

But at the start of the second half this week, the Indians were given a clean record. Following Wednesday night’s 5-3 win over the Everett AquaSox at Avista Stadium – snapping Everett’s six-game winning streak – the Indians are now 2-1, a decent start to what Indians manager Matt Hagen hopes to be promising second half for his young players.

Right-handed pitcher Tyree Thompson, a 26th-round pick in the 2016 draft, led the Indians on the mound with a much steadier performance than a majority of the young arms that have come out of the Spokane bullpen this season.

The 20-year-old seemed almost too calm on the hill on Wednesday night when he faced the AquaSox in the second game of a three-game series. He pitched into the seventh inning, allowing two runs on eight hits, two walks and one strikeout.

Thompson started the game strong, limiting the AquaSox to one hit in the first inning and only one more in the second. Thompson tossed only seven pitches in the second – all strikes.

“I was comfortable,” Thompson said. “I knew that I had good defense behind me … My defense was going to back me up.”

The Indians backed the righty up with strong bats, too, giving Thompson a lead that kept him comfortable on the mound.

Yonny Hernandez led Spokane’s win with three hits in four at-bats, including a double.

“Hernandez is Mr. Spark Plug … It’s like every 30 minutes he’s doing something to help the team. He’s been a big addition for us,” Hagen said Hernandez, who joined the Indians earlier this month.

Austin O’Banion and Curtis Terry both hit home runs, and Miguel Aparicio went 2 for 3 with a pair of RBIs.

“It was a good night,” O’Banion said. “Everyone is seeing pretty well at the plate. (We’re) just hitting the ball hard.”

Aparicio drew a walk on a full count to start the first inning. He moved to third base on Hernandez’ single up the middle and scored on O’Banion’s sacrifice fly to left.

In the third, Everett’s Ronald Rosario fought Thompson to a full count before knocking a single to center field. Chris Torres followed with another single that ricocheted off the right-field wall, sending Rosario to third.

Thompson forced back-to-back groundouts to first to end the inning unharmed.

O’Banion led off the fourth inning with his fourth homer of the season. The Indians loaded the bases on a single by Cristian Inoa, a double by Kole Enright and a Curtis Terry walk.

Aparicio delivered two runs on slow roller that got through to left field, giving Spokane a four-run lead.

Everett finally got on the board in the fifth inning on Rosario’s solo home run.

The Indians (18-23) were quick to take back their four-run lead in the following inning when Terry smacked a solo homer to left field, his fifth of the year.

The AquaSox pulled within three of the Indians again in the seventh, beginning with back-to-back singles. Three batters later, Everett’s Joseph Rosa swatted an RBI single to left to cut Spokane’s lead to 5-2.

In the ninth, the AquaSox (19-22) put runners on first and third with two outs. Eugene Helder knocked in a run on a line drive to right field, narrowing Spokane’s lead to two runs.

But Indians closer Joe Kuzia stopped the AquaSox by forcing a game-ending groundout.

The Indians host the AquaSox in the series finale on Thursday at 6:30 p.m.