Skyler Messinger clubs 3-run homer, Spokane Indians outlast Vancouver 8-6

Skyler Messinger hit 18 homers for Low-A Fresno in 2023, but just three between the Colorado Rockies’ complex league team and the Spokane Indians last season.

He has been stinging the ball so far this season and on Friday he got his first homer of the year out of the way early.

Messinger clubbed a three-run homer in the first inning to ignite the offense and the Spokane Indians outlasted the Vancouver Canadians 8-6 at Avista Stadium.

The Indians (4-3) have won three of four from Vancouver (3-4) this week after going 23-9 against them last season – including a four-game win in the Northwest League championship series.

After winning a 1-0 pitcher’s duel Thursday night, the Indians came up with nine base hits, went 6 for 10 with runners in scoring position and stole four bases.

“We wanted to come out today and score early after a little bit of a quiet night yesterday,” Messinger said.

It seems every game has featured a different hitting hero for the Indians.

“Our bats were really good today,” Messinger said. “You know, Jared (Thomas) at the top is just having great at-bat after great at-bat. Same with (Aidan) Longwell. It’s really been impressive to watch. And all through the lineup, it’s been, you know, a really good team effort, and it’s a good team win today.”

The Canadians jumped on Indians starter Jordy Vargas right away. Leadoff hitter Jay Harry worked a full-count walk and two batters later, Sean Keys hit a home run halfway up the scoreboard in right-center field.

Victor Arias followed with a rope into the right-field corner for a double, which prompted a mound visit by pitching coach Blaine Beatty. Vargas got a groundout, but then walked Eddie Micheletti and manager Robinson Cancel came out with the hook.

Vargas, in his second start after missing all of last season rehabbing from ligament replacement surgery, threw just 32 pitches, 16 for strikes.

Alan Perdomo took over and got a groundout to end the inning.

Indians batters bailed out Vargas in the bottom half – all with two down. Andy Perez started the rally with a hard-hit single, then Longwell walked. That brought up Messinger, who crushed a three-run homer to straight right for a 3-2 lead.

“I was just trying to be aggressive there, get a pitch in the zone and be ready for it,” Messinger said.

Thomas delivered a two-out RBI single in the second to make it 4-2.

Isaiah Coupet took over on the mound for the Indians in the third and allowed the first two batters to reach – he fumbled a tapper back to the mound and hit the next batter. Arias’ hard grounder got past Longwell at first and Je’Von Ward jogged home to tie it, A second run scored on a double-play ball.

The Indians took a 5-4 lead in the fourth thanks to Caleb Hobson’s legs. He drew a two-out walk, stole second and third on consecutive pitches, and came in on Thomas’ looping single to center.

But Harry tied it again with a solo homer over the caboose in right-center leading off the fifth.

The speed game resurfaced in the Indians’ half of the seventh. Braylen Wimmer walked and stole second, then Longwell singled, but Wimmer didn’t get a good jump and was held at third. Vancouver pitcher Julio Ortiz balked, allowing Wimmer to score and Longwell to move over to third.

Messinger followed with a single through the hole on the right side, and the Indians went up 7-5. Jesus Ordonez singled to put runners at the corners, then Messinger scored on a fielder’s choice.

Spokane’s Welinton Herrera, pitching on back-to-back nights, tossed a 1-2-3 ninth for his second save of the season.