Newcomer Noah Davis provides shot in the arm, Spokane Indians blank Vancouver Canadians 4-0

The Colorado Rockies acquired minor league starting pitcher Noah Davis from the Cincinnati Reds as part of a deal last week that sent big league reliever Mychal Givens to the Reds. 

The Spokane Indians are happy for reinforcements to the starting rotation.

Davis pitched 6 1/3 shutout innings in his Spokane debut and the Indians blanked the visiting Vancouver Canadians 4-0 in the fifth of a six-game High-A West series at Avista Stadium on Saturday.

Spokane (37-40) took a three-game lead over Vancouver (34-43) for third place in the league.

[BOX SCORE courtesy MILB.com]

Davis allowed three hits and two walks with five strikeouts. He threw 104 pitches, 63 for strikes.

“What can I say,” Indians manager Scott Little said. “On a night when we were really thin in the bullpen again, this kid steps up steps, fresh off a plane out of a different organization, just got traded, comes up and just pitches one hell of a game.” 

Davis, who enters the Rockies organization as their No. 25 prospect, went 3-6 with a 3.60 ERA in 13 starts for High-A Central Dayton this season.

“Guys that can command their secondary stuff like that, it’s just pitching,” Indians manager Scott Little said. “He was outstanding.” 

The Indians broke a scoreless tie in the fifth. Aaron Schunk hit a triple to plate Niko Decolati, then the infielder scored on a sacrifice fly by Javier Guevara. 

They added to the lead the next inning, as Isaac Collins scored on a groundout. 

Collins finished 3 for 4 and has 14 hits in his last four games.

“The guy’s going up there, having some outstanding at-bats,” Little said. “He’s just calmer, confidence is off the charts right now and he’s been a huge little spark plug for us at the top of the lineup.”

In the seventh, the Indians ran a squeeze play for an insurance run and Christopher Navarro’s sacrifice bunt brought Hunter Stovall in from third.

The series concludes on Sunday at 5:09 p.m.