2024 Northwest League Championship Series

[David]

The following is the complete schedule for the 2024 Northwest League Championship Series.

The defending champion Vancouver Canadians (68-61) return to the Northwest League Championship for the third consecutive season. The Canadians made the NWL Championship by virtue of finishing in second place in the 2nd Half Northwest Division standings at season title at 38-28. Overall, the Canadians finished the 2024 regular season with a 68-61 record (2nd in the NWL).

The Spokane Indians (79-51) dominated the Northwest League throughout the regular season, winning the First Half (38-26) and Second Half (41-25) League Championships. At 79-51, the Indians finish the season 28 games above .500 to propel the franchise to its first Northwest League Championship Series appearance since 2021, the first season after MiLB's restructure of the minor leagues.

Vancouver returns to the Northwest League Championship, winning in 2023 in four games over the Everett AquaSox, one season after being swept by the Eugene Emeralds in 2022. Vancouver not only seeks its sixth championship in franchise history, but its second ever back-to-back championship, last accomplished in 2011-2012. Should Vancouver win back-to-back championships, it'll set up the potential for a chance at a three-peat next season, last accomplished between 2011-2013.

Spokane seeks its ninth overall championship, having last won has won the Northwest League title in 2008. Spokane has reached the Championship three times since (2010, 2018, 2021), but fell considerably short in all three appearances. Should Spokane win the series, the Indians will reclaim the most overall NWL Championship wins in league history since the league's inception in 1955. The Indians are tied with the Eugene Emeralds and the defunct Yakima Bears for the most overall NWL Championships.

Due to stadium upgrades at Avista Stadium that were scheduled to begin upon the conclusion of the 2024 home schedule, the Indians will host its playoff games at the Patterson Baseball Complex/Coach Steve Hertz Field at Gonzaga University. 

Each round of the NWL Championship will appear most recent at the top of the post. Final results will be updated following the conclusion of the games. All game times are listed in the Pacific Timezone (PST). Where applicable, click on the final score to view the NWL's game tracker for the complete box score.

NORTHWEST LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES



Vancouver Canadians vs Spokane Indians (Spokane wins series 3-1)
Game 1 -- Tue., September 10 - Spokane 4, Vancouver (H) 3
Game 2 -- Wed., September 11 - Vancouver (H) 4, Spokane 3
Game 3 -- Fri., September 13 - Spokane (H) 3, Vancouver 2 - (Patterson Baseball Complex @ Gonzaga University; Spokane, WA)
Game 4 -- Sat., September 14 - Spokane (H) 3, Vancouver 2 - 10 in. - (Patterson Baseball Complex @ Gonzaga University; Spokane, WA)


TEAM VENUES
Spokane Indians - Avista Stadium; Spokane, Washington
Vancouver Canadians - Rogers Field at Nat Bailey Stadium; Vancouver, British Columbia

TEAM MLB AFFILIATES
Spokane Indians - Colorado Rockies (NL West)
Vancouver Canadians - Toronto Blue Jays (AL East)


To share this post on social media, please go to the right side of the page to the social media icons and choose which social media site(s) to share the thread. To comment on this thread and others on this forum, please login or register[/font]

[David]

Congratulations to the Spokane Indians for winning the Northwest League Championship!

After falling in the 2021 Championship, the first season of the Northwest League/High-A West reorganizing from a short season to full-season league, Spokane finally returned to the postseason in 2024 to capture the pennant, defeating the Vancouver Canadians in four games.

The Indians clinched the NWL Championship via a bases loaded hit by pitch in the bottom of the 10th inning.

With the victory, Spokane captures its first Northwest League Championship since 2008, when they defeated the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes in 4 games. Spokane went on to appear in the 2010, 2018, and 2021 Northwest League/High-A West Championship series, but came up short in each series. 

With the victory, Spokane wins its ninth Northwest League Championship, reclaiming the top spot for most all-time NWL Championships by a singular organization. Spokane had been tied with the defunct Yakima Bears with 8 titles after winning in 2008, and were joined by the Eugene Emeralds winning courtesy of four championships in a seven season span.

[Kasey]

Congratulations to the Indians on winning the championship and ending the drought. It shouldn't be too surprising since they dominated all season long. Game 4 sounds like it was pretty exciting.

[David]

With Spokane ending its Championship drought, the distinction belongs to two other teams for two other reasons.

• Longest since last championship: Everett AquaSox (2010).

Everett last won the Championship in 2010. With Spokane ending its drought, the AquaSox now hold the distinction of longest drought since their last championship. Like Spokane before them, Everett has been to the 2016 and 2023 Northwest League Championship Series, but fell to Eugene and Vancouver.

•  Longest championship drought: Tri-City Dust Devils (none).

The Dust Devils formed in 2001 after relocating from Portland, Oregon as the Portland Rockies. The Rockies won the Northwest League Championship in 1997 and made another championship appearance in 1999. However, since relocating to Pasco, Washington in 2001, the Dust Devils have never won the Northwest League Championship.

Tri-City has been to the Northwest League Championship five times in its history (2007, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2019). but came up just short in three of the five series.