Max Belyeu leads homer parade; Jackson Cox promoted to Hartford | Spokane Indians notebook
The Spokane Indians' bats are heating up with the weather as the Northwest League season's second half approaches.
The Indians have been out of the first-half race for a while, but with just three games before the start of the second half, the ir hitters put together their most powerful week all season, winning a six-game series 4-2 over first-place Eugene last week.
Indians hitters combined for 14 home runs last week, led by outfielder Max Belyeu, who mashed five in the series - including a pair of two-homer games. Catcher Alan Espinal, shortstop Kelvin Hidalgo and UTL Tommy Hopfe all smacked a pair of homers as the Indians scored 43 runs over the past six games (7.16 per game).
Catcher/DH Jack O'Dowd was one of three additional hitters to also go deep, and he had four of Spokane's 13 doubles for the series. Seven of the 12 batters on the roster hit .280 or better, with six eclipsing the .333 mark.
Next up: The Indians (27-36) host Vancouver for six games at Avista Stadium this week. Game time Tuesday-Thursday is 6:35 p.m. Friday and Saturday games are both 7:05 (with postgame fireworks) and Sunday's finale is at 1:05.
Moving up
A pair of highly drafted pitchers moved up this week. RHP Jackson Cox was promoted to Double-A Hartford following a very successful stint with the Indians. He made 11 appearances and 10 starts with a 4-1 record, 4.23 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 78 strikeouts over 551/3 innings. He led the NWL in strikeouts upon the time of his promotion.
Cox was the Colorado Rockies' second -round pick in the 2022 draft (No. 50 overall) and missed much of the 2023 season and all of '24 due to Tommy John surgery. He made one start for Hartford last week and struck out eight over 51/3 shutout innings, allowing three hits and three walks.
RHP Gabriel Hughes' minor -league rehab assignment for an injury to a muscle in his side came to a close and he was activated from the seven-day injured list by the Albuquerque Isotopes. The Rockies' first-round pick (No. 10 overall) in the '22 draft made two starts in Spokane and tossed six shutout innings, allowing a total of two hits and three walks.
Hughes started for Albuquerque on Friday and went five shutout innings on one hit and one walk with four strikeouts.
On the mound
There were a lot of runs scored in the series with Eugene, so none of the five starters who pitched last week particularly stood out. Three relievers who made two appearances apiece did though.
LHP Justin Loer and RHPs Fisher Jameson and Hunter Mann combined for six appearances and 151/3 innings without allowing an earned run. The trio combined to give up six hits and seven walks with 17 strikeouts. Fisher and Mann both picked up relief wins.
Prospects watch
Robert Calaz (No. 5): Hit .083/.154/.083 (1-for-12) with one walk, six strikeouts in four games. YTD: .247/.309/.379, four HR, 23 RBIs, 9-for-11 SB.
Brody Brecht (No. 8): Did not make an appearance last week. Seven-day injured list. YTD: 0-2 with a 5.23 ERA and 31 strikeouts over 202/3 innings.
Max Belyeu (No. 12): Hit .286/.400/1.000 (6-for-21) with five home runs, seven RBIs, four walks and six strikeouts in six games. YTD: .215/.321/.455, 10 HR, 26 RBIs, 4-for-6 SB.
Ethan Hedges (No. 17): Hit .364/.417/.500 (8-for-22) with three doubles, four RBIs, no walks and seven strikeouts in five games. YTD: .257/.328/.381, four HR, 27 RBIs, 2-for-4 SB.
Yujanyer Herrera (No. 20): One start, no decision, 32/3 innings, two earned runs on three hits and a walk with six strikeouts. YTD: 0-1, 4.46 ERA, 1.54 WHIP, 33 Ks, 341/3 innings.
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