Late Spokane Rally Hands Hops 5-3 Loss

July 1 (Hillsboro, OR)- The Hillsboro Hops dropped game two against the Spokane Indians on Wednesday night, 5-3. Slade Caldwell hit a two-run homer in the fifth, but the Hops offense was just not enough to compete with the Indians as Spokane rallied for ten hits to the Hops seven.

The Hops scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the second inning. José Mejía hit a leadoff single, and Jakey Josepha followed up with a double. Kenny Castillo hit an RBI single to bring Mejía in and give the Hops a 1-0 lead. Spokane responded immediately as Tommy Hopfe hit a solo homer to tie the game at 1-1.

In the fifth, Caldwell, continuing his hot streak, hit a two-run bomb to put the Hops up 3-1. Modeifi Marte was the other run driven in, was hit by a pitch to reach base.

Rio Britton threw the first five innings, allowing one earned run on four hits and striking out five. Teofilo Mendez took over in the top of the sixth with a scoreless inning. He went into the seventh, allowing a leadoff single. The batter then stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by catcher Castillo. Mendez then gave up a walk to put runners on first and third. Luke Dotson took over from there, with the runner on first immediately stealing second. A sacrifice fly scored one, and a double by Ethan Hedges made it a 3-3 ballgame. Tanner Thach hit a single, and Spokane took a 4-3 lead.

The Indians started the eighth off with a double and a single, and a sacrifice bunt plated a run to make it 5-3. Dotson was charged with two earned runs, and so was Mendez. Sawyer Hawks threw a scoreless top of the ninth, and Hillsboro threatened in the bottom half of the frame as Marte hit a one-out double, but ultimately they could not complete the comeback.

Game three of the series between the Hillsboro Hops and Spokane Indians will begin at 6:35 PM. The pregame show starts at 6:20 PM on 620 AM RipCity Radio and BallyLive.