Holmes' Incredible Catches Highlight 6-5 Win

SPOKANE, WASH. --- Hillsboro Hops center fielder Tra (pronounced "Trey") Holmes hit his first professional home run on Friday night in Spokane. But that was far from his best work. Holmes made two jaw-dropping catches in the bottom of the seventh inning, robbing consecutive hitters of extra-base hits. The two grabs highlighted Hillsboro's come-from-behind 6-5 win over the Spokane Indians.
With a full moon rising above Avista Stadium, strange things seemed in store. And the oddities began even before the game started, as Hops manager Shawn Roof was ejected just prior to the first pitch.

It started when the Hops' relief pitchers engaged in a game of "Bullpen Standoff" with Spokane's relief pitchers. It's a light-hearted game played occasionally by bullpens following the National Anthem. As everyone else prepares to play, the relief pitchers on each team stand rock-still --- and the first team to move loses.
Evidently, umpires Mitch Wilson and Chris Presley-Murphy thought the game was taking too long, and they asked the teams to stop. When they didn't, two Hops pitchers, Cal Becker and Kevin Ginkel, were ejected.
That quick ejection of two of his key relievers --- plus the fact that no Spokane relievers were tossed --- angered Hops manager Shawn Roof. He came on the field and engaged in a long discussion with the umps… and then Roof himself was ejected. Jorge Cortes moved across the diamond to coach third.
When play began, the Hops jumped on Spokane starter Tyree Thompson, as Eudy Ramos hit a long two-run home run to straightaway center field in the first inning. The Hops led 2-0.
Clay Middleton and Chad Smith homered for Spokane, and the Indians took a 4-2 lead into the top of the sixth. Holmes then smoked a solo shot over the left-field fence to cut the deficit to 4-3.
And in the bottom of the seventh, Holmes showed why the Diamondbacks are so excited about their 2017 11th-round draft choice.
Indians DH Melvin Novoa hit a drive to right-center off Hops reliever Junior Garcia. Holmes, on an all-out sprint, layed out parallel to the ground for a full-extension catch to take extra bases away from Novoa.
McReynolds, the next hitter, then lifted a routine fly ball to left field. The ball got above the light standards, and Dan Swain never saw it in the twilight sky. Holmes, realizing his left fielder was in trouble, never stopped. On a dead run, he dived to his right in straightaway left, and made another lay-out grab.
For his efforts, he got an appreciative round of applause from the crowd in Spokane.
Still, the Hops appeared to be in trouble, especially after Chad Smith hit his second homer of the game --- a solo shot in the bottom of the 8th to put Spokane up 5-3.
But the Indians proceeded to gift-wrap three runs for Hillsboro in the top of the 9th. Daulton Varsho led off with a double against right-hander Josh Advocate. Righty Ismel Lopez came out of the Spokane 'pen and proceeded to walk both hitters to face him.
Jacob Rogers, Spokane's third right-hander of the inning, entered the game. He walked pinch-hitter Tim Susnara to force home a run and make it 5-4.
With the bases still loaded and no one out, Spokane left the infield back. Hops second baseman Yan Sanchez hit a routine double-play ball to short… and the ball went between McReynolds' legs for an error. Two runs scored and the Hops led 6-5.
That was the score heading to the bottom of the ninth. Erbert (pronounced "El-bear") Gonzalez came out of the Hops bullpen seeking his fifth consecutive save. With two out, this time Novoa hit one where even Holmes couldn't catch it --- high off the right-center field fence. His double put the tying run at second.
But Gonzalez struck out McReynolds looking on a curveball to end it. Hillsboro had a weird --- and satisfying --- 6-5 win.
Matt Brill retired all three hitters in the bottom of the eighth to earn his first professional victory.
Hillsboro starting pitcher Jhoan Duran left the game in the bottom of the fifth with what appeared to be a shoulder injury. His status was not immediately known.
The Hops (13-10) remain one game up on Eugene in the South Division with 15 games left in the first-half pennant race. Boise is two games out, and Salem-Keizer is three back. Spokane (8-15) fell eight games out in the North.
The series continues on Saturday night in Spokane, with the pregame show beginning at 6:00 PM on Rip City Radio 620 AM and www.HillsboroHops.com. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35.