Hops Offense Cools As Tribe Evens Series

SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. -- The hits didn't keep on coming for the Hillsboro Hops Friday night at Spokane. Well, a few did, but the runs did not follow.

The Spokane Indians (25-26 second half, 54-63 overall) struck early for three runs, while the Hops (22-30, 54-64) failed to take advantage of early opportunities to score. The Indians bullpen kept the Hops at bay over the last half of the game and leveled the series with a 6-1 victory in front of a crowd of 6,579 at Avista Stadium.

Hops starting pitcher Kyle Ayers (5-7) labored over the first two innings. He escaped a bases loaded, none out jam in the first, but could not dance around four Spokane hits in the second inning.

Lorenzo Carrier drove in Spokane's first run, following a leadoff Alan Espinal double with a single through the shortstop hole. Carrier moved to second on an errant throw to the plate from left fielder Yerald Nin, then advanced to third on Kelvin Hidalgo's grounder to short. Hops shortstop Kayson Cunningham fielded the ball and his throw to third base beat the runner, but Carrier somehow avoided the tag of Yassel Soler, although Soloer sure didn't seem to think so.

Tommy Hopfe hit a comebacker to Ayers, who opted for the sure out at first as Carrier raced home to make it 2-0. Hidalgo would get picked off second and tagged out in a rundown. With the bases cleared and two outs, the Indians weren't done.

19-year-old speedster Roldy Brito, who has rocketed up the Rockies ranks this season to #2 on the latest MLB Pipeline prospects list, singled, stole second and third on consecutive pitches, then trotted home when Ethan Hedges singled to right.

Ayers would push through the early struggles and settle in, completing six innings with eight hits and no walks allowed with four strikeouts, keeping the Hops in play when he departed with Spokane leading 3-1.

The Hops scored their only run in the fourth inning, but certainly had their chances early, when Spokane starter Jordy Vargas walked four batters over the first two frames.

Soler grounded a single deep in the shortstop hole that glanced off the glove of Hidalgo into left field, moved to second on a Vargas wild pitch, then scored on Kenny Castillo's single to left. The third baseman Hedges tried to cut off left fielder Robert Calaz's throw home, but it tipped off his glove. The ball still got to the catcher Espinal, who gunned down Castillo at second trying to advance. A significant play, it turns out, as Nin followed with a base hit, but the Hops rally terminated on a J.D. Dix ground out.

Vargas wobbled through 4 2/3 innings, walking five and giving up five hits, but a lone run. Lefty Justin Loer (3-3) came in to get the final out in the fifth.

The sixth inning began with an identical Soler grounder to deep short. This time Hidalgo secured the ball and made a long one-hop throw on target to Tanner Thach at first to record an out. It was another significant defensive play as Mejia followed with his second hit.

No rally ensued, as Loer retired six of the next seven batters before turning the ball over to Seth Clausen. The Cal League saves leader picked up where he left off Tuesday night, setting down all five batters to face him with two strikeouts to card his second save of the week and 12th of the season.

Carrier added a two-RBI single in the eighth innings off Hillsboro reliever Alexis Liebano as the Indians added three insurance runs in the frame. Liebano lost his command after retiring four of the first five batters to face him, three on strikeouts. After a walk and a Calaz double, the Hops chose to intentionally walk Roynier Hernandez to load the bases with one out, but Liebano walked Espinal on four pitches to force in a run before Carrier stepped to the plate.

Liebano went down on the front of the mound on his second pitch, grabbing at his right knee before getting medical attention and being assisted off the field. Rocco Reid took over the account and Carrier singled to right on his first pitch to drive in two, the 2026 14th round pick out of Pittsburgh celebrating his first pro RBIs in his second pro game.

The Hops can still win the season series if they can sweep the weekend, beginning at 6:35 p.m. Saturday night. Pregame airtime begins at 6:20 p.m. on Rip City Radio 620.