SPOKANE, WA - The Spokane Indians were able to lock up a NWL playoff spot Sunday night by clinching the first half championship in a 7-0 victory over the Tri-City Dust Devils. The Indians needed a victory in one of the two doubleheader games, and a Boise Hawks loss to clinch the playoff spot. Spokane lost game one 10-3. Indians left fielder Jared Hoying hit his sixth home run of the season tying him for the NWL lead. The home run was also Hoying third consecutive game with a long ball. But the Dust Devils exploded for 10 runs in the final two innings of the game to win big. But before the second game began, the official score was reported from Yakima; the Bears beat the Boise Hawks 8-2. That was all the motivation the Indians needed for game two. After a scoreless first, the Indians got the train to the playoffs rolling in the second inning when designated hitter Andrew Clark scored on first baseman Clark Murphy's sacrifice fly. The Indians added two more runs in the fourth inning when Clark scored again, this time on a second baseman Santiago Chirino double. Murphy would later score while Chirino was caught in a run down between third base and home plate. Hoying scored another run in the fifth to give the Indians a 4-0 advantage. The Indians locked up the victory when they added three more runs in the sixth inning from Murphy, catcher Kevin Torres and Chirino.
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