Spokane Indians victimized by long ball, Eugene takes over first with 8-3 win
May 22—From staff reports
EUGENE — Alexander Suarez broke open a tie game with a three-run home run in the fourth inning and the Eugene Emeralds beat the Spokane Indians 8-3 at PK Park on Wednesday.
Eugene (23-17) won its second straight in the six-game series and leapfrogged the Indians (21-16) into first place in the Northwest League.
Spokane took an early lead in the second inning when Jake Snider, who just joined the team from Low-A Fresno on Tuesday, hit a sinking liner to left field that got past a stumbling Suarez for an inside-the-park home run.
It was all Eugene after that.
The Emeralds tied it in the third on Diego Velasquez's RBI single. In the fourth, Indians starter Nick Bush — on a minor league rehab assignment from Double-A Hartford — walked Onil Perez and allowed Justin Wishkoski's single. The pair pulled off a double steal, and Suarez drove his fourth homer of the season over the center-field wall.
The Indians got one back on Robby Martin Jr,'s RBI single, but the Emeralds added two-run homers by Rodolfo Nolasco and Garrett Frechette in the seventh and eighth innings, respectively.
Bush went 3 1/3 innings and allowed four runs on six hits and two walks with four strikeouts. Mason Green, making his first relief appearance after six starts this season, worked four innings and allowed four runs on four hits and two walks, striking out six and allowing a pair of homers.
The series continues Thursday at 6:35 p.m.
