NWL All-Stars play to scoreless draw

EUGENE, Ore. -- There were a few hits, a few errors, 21 strikeouts and no runs whatsoever in the 2014 Northwest League All-Star Game, where 17 pitchers combined for 10 full shutout innings and a game that ended in a scoreless tie.

Spokane third basemen Jose Trevino belted a pair of doubles, and as the game's only batter with more than one hit, was named MiLB.com Top Star of the Game.

"This is really awesome," said Trevino, holding his carved-bat award. "This is a great experience. You're around some good guys. Good teammates, good friends for life. This is what happens: You get a 0-0 game. People can play here."

But the story of the game was really the string of zeros on the scoreboard and the solid pitching turned in by both staffs.

"They throw a lot of strikes," said Boise catcher Justin Marra as he signed bats, balls, cups and other souvenirs for fans lined up along the South dugout. "They can throw a lot of their pitches for strikes and it made my life really easy back there. I can call with a lot of confidence in what they're going to throw and they can have confidence in me and whether or not I was going to block it. It was a lot of fun.

"Unbelievable. It just shows the quality of pitching in this league and what these guys can do. These were some of the best hitters that I've ever faced. You look at their lineup and our lineup. For these pitchers to come out and put nothing but zeros up. ... It's impressive."

The North did threaten in the top of the fourth. With Emeralds right-hander Aaron Cressley on the mound, Spokane's Seth Spivey singled and stole second. He reached third on a throwing error by Marra, which actually led to the play of the game. With two out, Spokane's Luke Tendler walked and tried to steal second. Marra's throw to second was caught in front of the bag by Volcanoes second baseman Travious Relaford, who gunned home to Marra to catch Spivey trying to score on the double-steal.

"I kind of had it in my head, I knew they were going to steal," said Relaford. "I saw [Tendler] creeping out of the corner of my eye. He took off before the pitcher threw the ball to the plate. As he was coming to second, I go over to cover the bag and he's halfway there already. I thought, well I'm just going to throw home.

"I caught it and he got a late jump to home. It was easy."

The North threatened again with two out in the seventh against Hillsboro right-hander Dustin Loggins. Everett's Kyle Petty singled softly to third and Trevino doubled him to third with a hard liner to center. But Loggins got Everett's Adam Martin to fly out to right.

The Rangers prospect led off the 10th with his second double. But Hillsboro lefty reliever Zac Curtis, making his first two-inning appearance of the season, retired the next three batters to end the North's chances of plating any runs in a game that was not to exceed 10 innings by design.

Curtis' teammate Nick Baker, also a Hops pitcher, got the start and recorded two perfect frames. Spokane right-hander Richelson Pena fanned all three batters swinging in the third.

The North outhit the South, 5-4, and struck out nine times to the South's 12 K's. The South also made two of the game's three errors.