Spokane Indians loses third straight one-run game 4-3 at Hillsboro

HILLSBORO, Ore. – For the second game in a row, the Hillsboro Hops pushed a run across in the eighth inning and made it stick.

J.J. D’Orazio sent a two-out RBI single through the left side of the infield and the Spokane Indians lost their third consecutive one-run game to the Hillsboro Hops, a 4-3 decision in the fifth of a six-game High-A Northwest League series at Hillsboro Ballpark on Saturday.

The first-place Hops improved to 10-4. Spokane, 2-3 in the series, fell to 6-8.

It was tied at 3 entering the bottom of the eighth. Ryan Waldschmidt led off with a single off Indians reliever Davis Palermo and Angel Ortiz walked with one out. Palermo got pinch-hitter Ben McLaughlin to fly out, but D’Orazio’s ground ball to the left side got through and Waldschmidt hustled home.

The Indians went 1-2-3 in the ninth.

The Hops took the game’s first lead in the fourth when Waldschmidt doubled home Druw Jones from first base.

Spokane answered with three in the fifth.

Skyler Messinger walked and went to second on a groundout. He stole third and scored on Cole Messina’s single. Jean Perez walked, then EJ Andrews Jr. doubled down the right-field line to score Messina and send Perez to third.

After a pitching change, Jared Thomas was walked intentionally. Braylen Wimmer drew a two-out walk to force in a run.

In the Hops’ half of the sixth, Demetrio Crisantes laced a doubled into the left-field corner to knock in a run and put runners at second and third. Ortiz followed with a sacrifice fly to short center to tie it at 3.

The series concludes Sunday at 1:05 p.m.