Tri-City scores 7 runs in first three innings; Spokane Indians fall 9-5 | NWL baseball
May 9-Left-hander Bryson Hammer made his first start after 93 career relief appearances over four minor league seasons. It did not go well.
The Tri-City Dust Devils scored seven runs through the first three innings and cruised to a 9-5 win over the Spokane Indians in the fifth of a six-game High-A Northwest League series at Avista Stadium on Saturday.
In total, Hammer allowed seven earned runs on nine hits and a walk with three strikeouts. He entered play with a 4.12 ERA over six relief outings and left with a 6.35 ERA.
Hammer gave up a single and walk to the first two batters of the game, then a fielder's choice put runners at the corners. He balked in a run, then hit the next batter. Dust Devils outfielder Anthony Scull laced an RBI single to left to make it 2-0 after a half inning.
The Indians (12-20) went in order in the bottom half, and the Dust Devils offense went back on the attack. Johan Macias led off the second with a double and Kevin Bruggeman's single brough him in. Two batters later, Jake Munroe crushed an 0-2 changeup off the scoreboard above the tall wall in left-center for a two-run homer and 5-0 lead.
Tri-City (18-14) added two more in the third, on RBI singles by Macias and Bruggeman - the No. 8 and 9 hitters in the Dust Devils order.
The Indians got on the board in the third. With two down, Caleb Hobson walked, went to second on a passed ball and took third on a single by Tevin Tucker. Roynier Hernandez followed with a two-run single and went to second on the throw.
Ethan Hedges lashed a single to center to plate Hernandez to make it 7-3.
Hammer gave way to righty Hunter Omlid for the fourth.
Scull led off the fifth with a solo homer off Omlid, his fourth of the season, just out of the reach of right fielder Max Belyeu.
The Indians got that run back in the sixth. Hernandez led off with single, went to second on a wild pitch and scored on a two-out ground rule double by Alan Espinal. Jacob Hinderleider added a solo homer to the batter's eye in center in the seventh, his second of the season.
The Indians loaded the bases with two down in the ninth, but Ethan Hedges flied out to medium center field to end the game.
The series concludes on Sunday at 1:05 p.m.
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