Mason Green gets win in early game, Spokane Indians split doubleheader against Eugene
Every minor league game means a lot to each of the players – it’s another opportunity to develop and to impress the parent club. Even if the games are immaterial to the standings.
That’s how it was Wednesday for a doubleheader between the Spokane Indians, who wrapped up the Northwest League first-half title, and second-place Eugene at Avista Stadium. The teams have been closely matched all season, and the doubleheader split just reinforced that.
In the early game, Mason Green tossed five shutout innings and the Indians (37-26) held on to beat Eugene 3-2. The Emeralds (33-31)jumped on top early in the second game and won 9-1.
Green allowed two hits and two walks and struck out five. He threw 72 pitches, 42 for strikes. The southpaw out of Central Missouri lowered his ERA to 2.29 in 11 games (10 starts) this season.
The Indians loaded the bases in the third inning on a shortstop error and back-to-back singles, the last a sacrifice bunt attempt by Dyan Jorge, who beat it out. But Kyle Karros hit into a force at home and Robby Martin Jr. grounded into a 6-3 double play.
The Indians loaded them up again in the fourth on two hits and a walk. This time, Jose Cordova laced a base hit just past first baseman Zach Morgan and into right field for an RBI single. Another run came in on a double-play grounder to make it 2-0. Jorge led off the fifth with a triple and scored on a passed ball to make it a 3-0 lead.
Ryan Rolison, on injury rehab from Triple-A Albuquerque, took over for Green in the sixth. He gave up a double and back-to-back singles for a run, then walked Onil Perez to walk the bases. Zach Agnos came in and got the next three in order to preserve the lead.
Carson Skipper got a strikeout to start the seventh, but he gave up a pair of singles sandwiched around a walk to allow another run to score. He came back to get the next two batters to earn his fourth save of the season.
The Emeralds batted around in the first inning of the second game against Indians starter Braxton Hyde, who is normally a reliever. Hyde was roughed up for four hits and two walks in the first inning and allowed five runs in the initial inning.
Spokane got a run in the first on an error then loaded the bases with no outs in the second. But a pair of strikeouts and Tanner O’Tremba’s great catch in right field kept the Indians off the board.
Emeralds No. 9 hitter Alex Suarez hit a three-run homer off Hyde in the third to make it 8-1. Hyde was lifted after three innings. He gave up eight earned runs on eight hits. He walked two and struck out two.
Transactions: Before the game, the Indians announced a string of transactions. Starting outfielders Cole Carrigg and Jake Snider were transferred from the roster to the Arizona Complex League Rockies.
Outfielders EJ Andrews and GJ Hill were transferred on the roster, and infielder Jack Blomgren was returned from the rehab list, reinstated and transferred onto the roster.