Bears’ Staff One-Hits Indians In 5-0 Win

The Yakima Bears pitching staff combined to allow only one hit in a 5-0 victory over the Spokane Indians Thursday night at Avista Stadium. The offense started slow, but pounded out five runs over the final two innings of the game.

Bears starting pitcher Blake Perry began with four perfect innings, then walked two batters in a scoreless fifth. With two out in the sixth, Spokane’s Gabriel Roa hit a flare single to left and an error followed, which took Perry out of the game. Victor Capellan came on and stranded the two base runners, and then went on to toss two scoreless innings.

Capellan earned the win, as the Bears offense came to life in the eighth inning. With two outs, Josh Parr and Shaun Cooper hit back-to-back home runs. Those were followed by back-to-back doubles by Wagner Mateo and Joe Loftus to push the Bears lead to 3-0. The Bears loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth and Cooper came through with a single to plate two more runs and make it a 5-0 lead.

Once the Bears were done batting, RJ Hively tossed a scoreless ninth inning to seal the win. Perry K’d seven batters in his five and two thirds innings of work. Capellan fanned five in two and a third innings. The third shutout of the season by the Bears’ pitching staff lowered the team ERA to 2.27.

Nine of the 10 batters to come to the plate for the Bears on the night got at least one hit. Cooper went 2-for-5 with three runs batted in to lead the way. Jacob House went 1-for-2 and was lifted for pinch runner Joe Loftus, who went 2-for-3 with a double and a run batted in. The runs in the eighth inning broke up a 20-inning scoreless stretch for the Bears offense.

The Bears and Indians have played three-consecutive shutouts against each other entering the final game of six-straight between the two teams. In the series at Avista Stadium, the two teams are tied at 1-1 going to the series finale Friday night. Game time is scheduled for 6:35. Right-handed pitchers Kyle Owings of the Bears and Shawn Blackwell of the Indians are the probable starters.