More Big Innings As Hops Breeze Past Tribe

SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. -- Two innings worth of work from the offense coupled with nine strong innings from the pitching staff equaled a second consecutive win for the Hillsboro Hops Thursday.

The Hops (22-29 second half, 54-63 overall) pounded former Oregon State Beaver pitcher Aiden May for five runs in the fourth inning and tacked on four more in the fifth against Alberto Pacheco while limiting Spokane (24-26, 53-63) to just three hits in a 9-0 win at Avista Stadium Thursday.

May (4-4) faced one over the minimum through the first three innings, but the second turn through the order was a different story. A leadoff error got the ball rolling in the fourth when Jakey Josepha's chopper to the right side clanked off first baseman Tanner Thach's glove. Consecutive singles to right field from Kayson Cunningham, Slade Caldwell and Ivan Luciano followed. Wallace Clark capped the scoring with a two-run homer, also to right field and the former 1st-team Pac-12 pitcher's night was over after four innings, five hits and five runs (four earned).

Alberto Pacheco, an Indians' starter in 2025 who had been at AA Hartford, was activated from the Development List before the game. Another Hops rally quickly developed in the fifth inning when the first four HIllsboro batters reached base, starting with a J.D. Dix triple off the right field wall. In one of the only negatives on this night, Dix uneasily made his way home on a wild pitch and had an uncomfortable gait on his way back to the dugout. The Hops second baseman would give way to a pinch hitter in his next turn at bat, but not before extending his current hitting streak to eight games.

Back-to-back walks to Josepha and Cunningham kept the wheels spinning and Caldwell, hitting cleanup on this night, knocked in his second run with a base hit through the right side of the infield. The 19-year-old catcher Luciano followed with his second hit of the night, plating Cunningham. Caldwell would eventually scoot home on a double play grounder and the Hops scoring was complete, with a five-run fourth inning followed by four in the fifth.

Three Hops pitchers combined on a three-hit shutout, with Mason Marriott facing the minimum nine batters over three innings, surrendering one harmless single with two strikeouts.

John West took over from there, pitching five innings with two hits allowed, three walks, three strikeouts and a hit batter. Nate Savino mopped up the ninth, hanging the final zero with a strikeout and walk.

The addition of Caldwell to the cleanup spot paid dividends, as he led the Hops with two hits, two runs and two RBI while extending his current hitting streak to six games. Cunningham scored twice, Luciano drove in three with a pair of hits and Diosfran Cabeza added two hits along with some stellar defense at first base.

The Hops' win, coupled with Vancouver's 10-7 loss at Everett, means Hillsboro gained another game in their desperate playoff chase. Now six games out of playoff position with 15 yet to play, the Hops and Indians meet again at 6:35 p.m. Friday night for game four of the series. Love coverage begins at 6:20 p.m. on Rip City Radio 620 AM.