Hops Beat Spokane 7-2

Hillsboro, OR ---- The Hillsboro Hops (10-25) broke a franchise record tonight as they beat the Spokane Indians (18-17) 7-2 in front of just over 3,000 Hops' faithful. The record: consecutive victories. The current streak: two. Despite being outhit five to four, the Hops won the game with relative ease as they scored six quick runs in the bottom of the second inning.

 

Hops' starter Jose Martinez (2-2) pitched five effective innings allowing two runs to score on four hits and two walks while striking out four. Chase Stevens would come on to relieve Martinez and threw two innings of shutout baseball as he allowed only one hit, walked none, and recorded four of his six outs by way strikeouts. J.R. Bradley and Johnny Shuttlesworth would both come on to pitch an inning each for the Hops and would combine for no hits allowed and two strikeouts.

 

In the Hops' six-run second inning, which saw the Hops bat through the lineup, the bases were loaded for John Leonard who singled up the middle to score Elvin Soto from third to draw first blood. After Leonard's single, the Hops would score on a Taylor Ratliff fielders' choice groundout, a wild pitch, a Zach Esquerra triple and a Cesar Carrasco single. The six runs were the most the Hops have scored in one inning the entire year.

 

The Hops would tack on one more run in the bottom of the eighth as Randy McCurry scored on an infield single from Yogey Perez-Ramos.

 

The Indians scored on an Alberto Triunfel double down the left field line, and those would be the only two runs scored for Spokane.

 

First pitch tomorrow is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Be sure to catch Rich Burk and Matt Richert call all of the live action on Fox Sports 620 AM. Pre-game starts at 6:35.