When you think of sports dynasties, the city of Spokane doesn't generally trip off of the tongues of the talking heads at the national networks. Yet fans throughout the Northwest League can tell you of the S-Tribe's dominance. The Indians have won seven titles since 1987, four consecutive from 1987 to 1990, and three since 1999. The last, of course, coming last week when the tribe clinched its fifth and final game of the Northwest League Championship Series with a four-run inning in the 8th over the Vancouver Canadians.

Both teams got on to the scoreboard in the first, with Vancouver holding a slight 2-1 lead. Spokane's starter, Kellan McConnell, and the Canadians Joe Piekarz settled down and pitched zeros right into the 5th inning. Jason Ray was inserted in the sixth. He faced eight and struck out two, but his one earned run tied the game at 2-2.

In the 7th inning the Indians scored a pair of runs that brought the score to 4-2. Vancouver answered with a run in the bottom of the seventh to make it 4-3.

Canadians manager Juan Navarrete brought in his closer Brad Kilby to take the 8th. The Indians exploded off of Kilby, tagging him with four runs in the eighth that would ultimately cost Vancouver the game and the series.

It was only a single, but a two-out Jonathan Higashi bases-loaded blooper scored two runs. For Higashi, the hit was his third of the game and gave him three RBI on the afternoon. Kilby was sent to the showers, with Brad Davis closing up the inning. Danielin Acevedo came in for the ninth and walked one, but the deafening silence of the Canadians' bats kept the scoreboard lights frozen at 3 under the big "R".

Kellan McConnell chalked the "W" for the Indians after tossing six stellar innings, giving up just the two runs on six hits through six innings of play. Jason Ray's after pair of Spokane runs and the critical earned-run in the 7th inning brought him the "L."

It was sweet victory for Indians manager Greg Riddoch, as this was his final victory as a Minor League manager. Riddoch is no stranger to NWL championships previously skippering Eugene to titles in 1975 and 1980.

Spokane's regular season (37-39) had been plagued by injuries. MVP Steve Murphy and Spokane slugger Lizahio Baez were both out with less than two weeks in the season.

A nine-game losing streak looked to sink the S-Tribe for the year as well until a run in August and September turned their fortunes around.

The Indians swept the Tri-City Dust Devils and took two out of three from the Boise Hawks to bring them to the Northwest League Eastern Division title for the right to face the Canadians in the NWLCS.

Salem is the only other team in league history to come from a losing record to win a divisional race, in 1982. Apparently the underdog status is good karma: Both Salem and Spokane took the NWL title after coming off of a bad season.

Another irony is that an Oakland Athletics franchise faced both clubs, with Vancouver in 2005 and Oakland's Medford club in 1982 in the L column for that year.