Lefty Sean Sullivan twirls gem, Spokane Indians top Eugene in series opener

From staff reports

EUGENE – Sean Sullivan spent a couple of weeks at the Colorado Rockies’ Arizona Complex earlier this month. The Eugene Emeralds wish he would have stayed there.

Sullivan (6-2) struck out 10 over five shutout innings and the Spokane Indians beat the Emeralds 8-2 in the opener of a six-game Northwest League series at PK Park on Tuesday.

The Indians (19-6 second half) remained in first place in the league, 1½ games ahead of Vancouver pending a late result. Eugene fell to 11-14.

Sullivan retired seven of the first batters he faced via strikeout. He allowed just two hits and no walks in his second start back from his break imposed by the parent club in an effort to manage his innings in his first full season in professional baseball. He threw 82 pitches, 57 for strikes.

Spokane got all the runs it needed in the third inning, when Jesus Bugarin clubbed a three-run home run, his sixth of the season. The Indians made it 4-0 in the fourth on Jose Cordova’s RBI double and they added two in the fifth on a fielder’s choice groundout and double steal.

Cordova (2 for 3, two RBIs) delivered some insurance in the eighth with a two-run single

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