Hillsboro crushes five homers, beats Spokane Indians 13-9 in 3-plus hour slog

Jose Fernandez hit two of Hillsboro’s five home runs and the Hops beat the Spokane Indians 13-9 in a three-hour, 14-minute Northwest League game at Avista Stadium on Thursday. 

The Indians took a 9-8 lead in the sixth, but it didn’t last long as Hillsboro’s leadoff hitter the next inning, Jack Hurley, launched a homer off the caboose in right center, his 10th home run of the season, off reliever Sergio Sanchez. Two batters later, Junior Franco hit one in almost the same spot and the Hops (15-18) led 11-9.

Fernandez followed by crushing one to left center for his second homer of the game and the third for Hillsboro in the inning. 

Sanchez allowed four runs on three hits in his inning of work.

The first-place Indians (23-10) could not muster a comeback in the late innings. 

In the first inning, Indians starter Michael Prosecky gave up two hits, then two walks, to force in the game’s first run. Junior Franco then hit a soft liner to left that Juan Guerrero lost in the sun, then bobbled on the pickup and two more runs scored. 

The Indians loaded the bases with one down in the second, then EJ Andrews stepped in and hit a single up the middle to plate two. 

Hops shortstop Tommy Troy got to Prosecky in the third, clubbing a solo homer to right, his second of the season.

Fernandez added to the Hillsboro lead in the fourth with a solo homer to the short porch in right, his third homer of the campaign.

Indians first baseman Jose Cordova doubled to put runners at second and third with no outs in the bottom half and Jake Snider was hit to load the bases. With one down, Jean Perez hit a liner just inside the line in right for a bases-clearing double to tie the game. 

Braxton Hyde came into pitch in the sixth but lasted just four batters as he loaded the bases on two walks and an error. Caleb Franzen was brought in, and a run scored on a fielder’s choice, then Franzen issued a walk to load the bases again. Gavin Conticello singled through the hole on the right side to plate two to put Hillsboro up 8-5.

EJ Andrews Jr. hit a solo homer, his fifth of the season, in the bottom half to make it a two-run game. With two down Cole Carrigg walked, Dyan Jorge reached via error and Kyle Karros doubled off the bottom of the wall in right center to score them both and tie the game again. 

Hillsboro made a pitching change, but Juan Guerrero lined a single into right center off Phillip Abner to score Karros to give the Indians a short-lived one-run lead.