Carver’s Gem Snaps Hops’ Losing Streak

BOX SCORE

SPOKANE, WASH. --- Hops right-hander Ross Carver threw eight strong innings on Thursday night, allowing just two hits and one run, and the Hops held on to beat the Spokane Indians 4-2 at Avista Stadium. The win snapped Hillsboro’s franchise-record ten-game losing streak.

A.J. Vukovich hit a two-run home run in the top of the first inning to put Hillsboro up 2-0, the Hops’ first lead of the series. But Carver ran into problems in the bottom of the first, after a walk and an error put runners at the corners with one out. Carver then struck out Grant Lavigne, and after a stolen base put the tying runs in scoring position, Julio Carreras was caught looking on a breaking ball to end the threat.

Carver would settle in from there, allowing only three more baserunners the rest of the night.

The Hops padded the lead in the second inning, which featured a big moment for the newest Hop. After Hillsboro catcher Ramses Malave doubled, second baseman Jarrod Watkins --- in his first at-bat with a long-season major-league-affiliated team after two-plus years in independent baseball and five games with the Rookie-level ACL D-backs --- smoked a base hit to right field to bring Malave home.

An inning later, it was another big moment, as Hops right fielder Danny Oriente hit his second professional home run, and first for the Hops. That made it 4-0 Hillsboro.

Carver took a shutout into the eighth inning, allowing just a two-out solo home run to the Indians’ Zac Veen. Carver (2-3) allowed two hits and one run over eight innings, with two walks and eight strikeouts. Spokane stater Evan Shawver allowed four runs (all earned) on seven hits over five frames.

Spokane made things interesting in the bottom of the ninth. Lefty Kyle Backhus came out of the Hillsboro bullpen in search of his second save. An infield hit by Lavigne and an RBI double by Carreras cut the lead to 4-2, and when Backhus walked Colin Simpson, the tying runs were on base with none out.

Spokane catcher Ronaiker Palma was unable to lay down a sacrifice bunt, and he struck out. Backhus then induced the speedy Bladimir Restituyo to hit a tailor-made ground ball to Watkins, who stepped on second and threw to first for the game-ending double play.

The Hops improved to 27-31, while Spokane fell to 30-28.

Game four of the six-game series will be at 7:05PM on Friday night, with airtime at 6:50 on Rip City Radio 620AM and at www.RipCityRadio.com.