Another Killer Comeback

Hops pounce on late inning blunder to beat Spokane 6-4 in 11 innings

By Matt Richert

July 28, 2018

The last of the Spokane Indians' four errors turned out to be the costliest.On what should have been the final play in a 4-2 Spokane win, Indians' shortstop Jax Biggers sailed a throw over first base after L.T. Tolbert's ground ball. The Hops scored two runs on the play to

The last of the Spokane Indians' four errors turned out to be the costliest.
On what should have been the final play in a 4-2 Spokane win, Indians' shortstop Jax Biggers sailed a throw over first base after L.T. Tolbert's ground ball. The Hops scored two runs on the play to tie the game, then two more in the 11th inning to shock the Indians' 6-4 Friday night at Avista Stadium.

Hillsboro improved to 6-0 against the Indians, 6-1 in extra-inning games and 3-1 in the second half of the Northwest League season, 27-15 overall. It was Spokane's first loss in the second half, dropping the Indians' overall record to 19-23.
After a scoreless 10th, Keshawn Lynch led off the bottom of the 11th inning with a double, scoring Jake McCarthy, who earlier in the game had extended a NWL season-high tying and Hops record-tying hitting streak to 15 games. Lynch would later score on a Dan Swain sacrifice fly and Josh Green pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the 11th to record his team-leading fourth save.
Ethan Larrison allowed one baserunner on a walk over two scoreless innings of relief to earn the win. The former Indiana State Sycamore improved to 4-1 with half of his ten appearances resulting in decisions.
Lynch had two hits and a double for the second consecutive game. Jorge Perez led the Hops 12-hit parade, going 3-for-6 with a double, run scored and RBI batting in the leadoff spot in the order.
Perez scored the first run of the game when he stole third base and scampered home following an errant throw by Indians' catcher Scott Kapers.
Errors would be catastrophic on this night for Spokane as all four Hillsboro runs were unearned. Down 4-1 in the ninth with one out, McCarthy and Ryan January hit back-to-back singles. Dan Swain hit a potential double-play grounder to third, but Diosbel Arias' throw was wild, loading the bases. Perez grounded into a run-scoring fielder's choice before Tolbert's ground ball led to the tying runs.
McCarthy went 1-for-5 in the game. His 15-game streak matches Steve Nyisztor's record streak set at the end of the 2014 championship season.
Game two of the five game series airs at 6:00 p.m. Saturday on NBC Sports Northwest Rip City Radio 620 AM with first pitch at 6:30 p.m.