Spokane Indians pregame: Theo McDowell takes the hill as Indians complete 7-game road trip

The Spokane Indians face the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes in the last of a four-game Northwest League series at Volcanoes Stadium in Keizer, Oregon, at 6:35 p.m.

The Indians (5-1) send right-hander Theo McDowell to the hill for his first start of the season. The 20-year-old was the 14th round pick of the Texas Rangers in the 2018 MLB Draft out of Texas. He’s made one appearance this season – a scoreless one-inning stint against Vancouver on Friday when he walked one and struck out one.

In 11 appearances, all in relief, for the Rangers’ Arizona Rookie League team last summer, McDowell went 2-0 with a 9.37 ERA and 1.71 WHIP with 10 walks and nine strikeouts over 16 1/3 innings.

Lineup:

Player to watch: Jonah McReynolds. The 23-year-old is in his third stint with the Indians and through the first week of the season is slashing .444/.583/.500 and is third in the NWL in average and first in OBP. He has six RBIs and a stolen base.

Last year, the 13th round pick of the Rangers in the 2016 draft from Martinsville, Virginia, hit .223/.285/.315 with two homers and 13 RBIs.

Last night: Kenen Irizarry, Scott Kapers and Stanley Martinez scored on Jonah McReynolds’ single in the top of the 11th inning, aided by center fielder George Bell’s throwing error, and the Spokane Indians broke open a tie game with five runs and defeated the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes 6-2 on Wednesday.

The North Division-leading Indians improved to 5-1, the Northwest League’s best record.

Ex-Indians news: The Rangers promoted outfielder Leody Taveras from High-A Down East to Double-A Frisco. The 20-year-old was hitting .295/.368/.376 with two homers and 25 RBIs and 21 stolen bases in 66 games with the Wood Ducks. Taveras is the Rangers No. 6 prospect according to MLB.com.

Taveras hit .228/.271/.293 in 29 games in 2016 for the Indians.