Role reversal continues
It continued Tuesday night, the Bears' execution of both role reversal and roll reversal.Having followed a 1-7 homestand by winning two of three at Spokane, Yakima again played like a team in a pennant race even though it probably isn't, hammering the Indians 7-2 before an announced crowd of 1,520 at Yakima County Stadium.
The Bears left town last week losers of 11 of their last 13 and having mostly played themselves out of the imminently attainable Northwest League East Division. When swept by Tri-City over the final three games of the aforementioned home engagement, they had helped the Dust Devils overtake Spokane for the division lead.
The secret this time? A visit from Dr. Longball, with Ramon Downing, Trey Hendricks and Manny Del Campo each launching home runs that combined to drive in five runs.
Angel Rocha pitched six hitless, albeit sometimes adventurous, innings for his third win in eight decisions and relievers Enmanuel Duran and Chris Thompson were lights out.
But the key blows were the long balls — solo shots by Downing and Hendricks in the first and eighth innings, respectively, and Del Campo's three-run shot to seal the win, also in the eighth.
"It's true in most levels of baseball, but especially at this level, that guys hit home runs when they're not trying to," Yakima manager Jay Gainer said. "In the big leagues, you've got a few players who can try to hit a ball out and then do it.
"But Trey, he got himself an 0-2 count and zoned in pretty well on a pitch. Same thing with Downing. But Del Campo was deep in the count (3-2) and just battled, trying to get a pitch he could drive. And he ended up hitting it out."
Del Campo's homer was temporarily in doubt, with plate umpire Steve Barga initially signaling the drive to left as having been foul. But Barga consulted base umpire Aaron Young, as per Gainer's request, and after a brief conference the call was reversed.
Downing had gotten Yakima started in the bottom of the first, lining an opposite-field drive over the right-field fence for his seventh homer of the season.
But the strike zone temporarily eluded Rocha in the second, however, enabling Spokane to take a 2-1 lead.
Rocha walked the bases loaded, then yielded a run-scoring, fielder's-choice groundout to Julio Santana. A second run scored when Rocha threw wildly on a pickoff attempt, although the inning ended without further incident.
Rocha, meanwhile, settled nicely for the next three innings and stood to get the win after Yakima scored twice in the bottom of the fifth.
A leadoff walk to Lester Contreras was followed by Jaen Centeno's double off the left-field wall, putting runners at second and third with no outs.
Del Campo and Kevin Williams each popped out, with neither being deep enough to score Contreras from third. After Jo Jo Batten walked, however, Downing ripped a double into the left-field corner to score two before Hendricks went down swinging.
Duran was called on to start the seventh, after Rocha completed his six-inning stint with 10 strikeouts and six walks. Rocha also had a no-hitter going, which went by the boards in the seventh via a swinging-bunt single down the third-base line by Joey Hooft.
The Indians got two solid singles in the eighth off Duran, but with two out the right-hander struck out cleanup hitter Jonathan Higashi swinging.
Hendricks, meanwhile, greeted Spokane reliever Nate Fogle with a booming homer just to the right of the 406-foot sign in right-center, giving Yakima a 4-2 cushion leading off the bottom of the eighth.
It was Hendricks' seventh homer this season, tying him with Downing for second on the club to Centeno's nine, and increased his team-best RBI total to 37.
With one out, Derek Bruce walked and Contreras was hit by a pitch, after which Leyson Septimo struck out.
That brought up Del Campo, who worked the count full before lining his first homer of the season.
Next game
Opponent: Spokane Indians.
When, where: 7:05 p.m. tonight, Yakima County Stadium.
Radio: KUTI 1460 AM.
Probable pitchers: Yakima RHP Adam Howard (4-5, 4.28) vs. Spokane RHP Doug Mathis 3-7, 2.63).
Notes
ALL STAR IN ABSTENTIA: Though his season with the Bears started late because he played in the College World Series and ended early because he went back to school, Josh Ford clearly made an impact.
The catcher from Baylor University was named to the Northwest League All-Star team Tuesday. He was the only Yakima player selected.
In 43 games with the Bears, Ford batted .282 with 25 runs batted in. His RBI total remains fourth-highest on the team, and he his 24 runners thrown out attempting to steal continues to lead the entire league.
"Great guy," Bears pitcher Chris Kemlo said, "and a great guy to throw to. He has a great knowledge of the game and an ability to calm you down if you need it."
Spokane outfielder Steve Murphy (.306 average, nine home runs, 37 RBI) has been named Most Valuable Player and Salem-Keizer's Steve Decker was chosen Manager of the Year.
Others: 1b, Will Thompson, Salem-Keizer; 2b, Luis Valbuena, Everett; 3b, Pablo Sandoval, Salem-Keizer; ss, German Duran, Spokane; dh, Lizahio Baez, Spokane; c, Josh Ford, Yakima; of, Mike Mooney, Salem-Keizer; Steve Murphy, Salem-Keizer; Travis Becktel, Tri-City; lhp, Darin Downs, Boise; rhp, Mike Madsen, Vancouver; lh reliever, Brad Kilby, Vancouver; rh reliever, Brian Anderson, Salem-Keizer.
COMPLETE PERFORMANCE: Chris Kemlo's complete-game, 7-2 conquest of the Indians at Spokane on Monday night was the first such performance in the Northwest League since Everett's Troy Cate on Sept. 3, 2002, and the first by a Bear since Phil Devey in 1999.
"They (pitching coach Erik Sabel and manager Jay Gainer) came to me after the seventh and wanted to take me out," Kemlo said before Tuesday night's game. "I told them I felt good and felt strong, and I guess they changed their minds."
The fact that Kemlo had thrown only 77 of his 93 pitches, according to Sabel, also had an impact.
"We really can't let 'em go much past 100," Sabel said. "But he had his sinker going and got 15 ground-ball outs. He had some real low-pitch innings — I think his highest was 15 in one inning. That's what you have to do to pitch a complete game at this level."
Kemlo had five first-pitch outs and gave up four first-pitch hits. He had only three strikeouts, but walked none and scattered seven hits. The run was unearned.
This is the second season Kemlo has spent with the Bears. After working largely as the team's closer last year, the native of Oshawa, Ontario and product of Santa Fe (Florida) Community College has been a starter in all 14 of his appearances this summer.
He's 4-7 with a 5.40 earned run average, and has struck out 39 while walking 24 in a team-high 781/3 innings.
NEWEST BEAR: Jo Jo Batten, an infielder, joined the Bears during their recent three-game series in Spokane. He had played previously at Missoula.
Batten played second base during Monday night's 7-1 Yakima win, was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and, so far, is hitting .500 as a Bear.
Source: http://www.yakima-herald.com/
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