Apr. 19—It's a long season — 132 games in the High-A Northwest League — so fretting about a win-loss record after 15 games probably won't do anyone any good. But after a tough home stand, the Spokane Indians will try to find renewed energy when they kick off a two-week road trip in Everett on Tuesday.
Toronto Blue Jays No. 3 prospect Arjun Nimmala homered for the second straight game — a two-run shot in the ninth — and the Spokane Indians dropped the game and series to the Vancouver Canadians 5-2 at Avista Stadium on Sunday.
Nimmala finished 3-for-5 with three RBIs in addition to his third home run of the season.
The Indians (6-9) have lost two consecutive series and have dropped eight of their last 12 games.
"We're just gonna go have a nice bus trip tomorrow on the day off, and we're gonna be ready to go on Tuesday and we're gonna bring it every day," Indians manager Tom Sutaris said. "We're gonna treat every day as opening day."
Indians shortstop Kelvin Hidalgo went 3-for-4 with an RBI, and Jacob Hinderleider hit a solo home run. Hidalgo started the season 0-for-17 but has hit in seven of nine games since, including a pair of three-hit games.
"(Hidalgo) is a really good baseball player. It's just, you know, baseball is up and down," Sutaris said. "The key for them is just to continue to stay up and keep pushing forward and he's done that. He's a really smart kid, and he's a worker, and he's going to keep getting better."
Indians starter Brody Brecht — the 38th overall pick in the 2024 draft by the Colorado Rockies — made it through three innings on 55 pitches, 30 for strikes. He didn't give up a hit and walked two with five strikeouts, leaving in a scoreless tie.
"Brody was really good. He was really sharp. Lost his delivery for a hitter or two, but overall, just really good, crisp stuff. He's pretty special," Sutaris said. "All these guys are really talented, and just doing it day after day after day is the challenge in pro baseball."
Brecht gave way to Nathan Blasick, who made his first appearance since April 5. Blasick got the save opening night against Everett, then went 21/3 innings against the AquaSox that Sunday but had not pitched since due to a back issue.
Blasick gave up a single to Nimmala then walked Peyton Williams. Dub Gleed followed with a flare down the right field line to load the bases. Blasick picked up two outs, then Sutaris called on lefty Stu Flesland, who got Hayden Gilliland to pop up for the final out.
The Indians took the lead in the bottom of the fifth, when Hinderleider hit an opposite field solo home run to the short porch in the right field corner, just his second hit in six games and first homer of the season.
The Canadians (6-9) took the lead the next inning. Williams drew a one-out walk, moved up on a grounder and scored on a double to the left field wall by Tucker Toman. Alexis Hernandez doubled to the same spot to drive in Toman to make it 2-1.
In the seventh, Flesland gave up a single, then walked Carter Cunningham on a close pitch and was audibly upset with home plate umpire Richy Arredondo. Nimmala followed with an RBI single, then after a close pitch to Williams, catcher Alan Espinal said something to Arredondo and was ejected.
Williams walked to load the bases, but Flesland got Gleed to ground to third for a double play to end the inning.
Flesland (1-1, 4.22 ERA) went 31/3 innings, allowing three runs on four hits and three walks with three strikeouts.
"We just have to stay in the process," Sutaris said of the uneven umpiring in the series. "We can't get wound up and react to everything, because we've still got to be present in that moment. If you're (still) in the pitch before, you're not going to be present in the moment."
Hidalgo led off the bottom half with a triple off the top of the wall in center but was stranded there.
Jacob Humphrey led off the eighth with a walk and promptly stole second. Robert Calaz was called out on strikes on a close pitch, then Humphrey stole third. Ethan Hedges walked and with two down Hidalgo laced an RBI single to draw the Indians within one.
But the Canadians added insurance in the ninth when Nimmala clobbered a two-run homer off reliever Justin Loer to make it 5-2.