Hops Bear Brunt of Baylor Blast
August 11, 2023 - Northwest League (NWL)
Hillsboro Hops News Release
Atonement, thy name is Jamari Baylor.
The Spokane Indians third baseman overcame a costly error that led to four unearned runs and a Hillsboro lead, by driving in two runs with a go-ahead double in the sixth and saving at least two runs with a superlative defensive play to end the seventh, preserving a 6-4 Indians win Thursday night at Avista Stadium.
The leadoff muff in the fifth put Andrew Pintar on base and the Hops would take advantage of the extra out by loading the bases with two outs, clearing them on a Wilderd Patino grand slam to left center. That gave Hillsboro a 4-3 and spoiled an otherwise splendid debut outing for Spokane starting pitcher Mason Albright, a recent trade acquisition from the Angels.
But Baylor stepped to the plate with two aboard and one out in the sixth and blasted a Spencer Giesting pitch out of the reach of Pintar to the center field fence, putting the Tribe back in front 5-4. A.J. Lewis followed with an RBI single to bump the lead to two before Peniel Otano got the final out with the bases loaded.
The Hops again loaded the bases in the seventh inning on two hit batters and a Juan Corniel single, all coming with two outs off Spokane reliever Anderson Pilar. After a mysterious ejection sent Pilar and assistant coach Joe Mikulik to the showers, Luis Amoroso hurriedly came on and promptly fell behind Tommy Troy 2-0. The Stanford first-rounder smashed a hard ground ball down the third base line, but Baylor made a diving stop and threw a one-hop strike to first baseman Parker Kelly for the out.
Amoroso would close out the game and the Indians picked up a game on the second-place Everett AquaSox, breaking a three-way tie for fourth with their second win of the series.
Corniel had a multi-hit game for the second straight night, going 2-for-3 with a walk and run scored. Benny Montgomery went 3-for-4 with a three-run homer off Giesting in the third. Giesting surrendered a career-high-tying six earned runs on a career-high tying eight hits over 5 1/3 innings. Pilar had to celebrate his win from the clubhouse.
Game Four of the series is at 7:05 p.m. Friday night with pregame coverage beginning at 6:50 on Rip City Radio 620 AM.
Northwest League Stories from August 11, 2023
- Bats for Tri-City Turned off by Vancouver - Tri-City Dust Devils
- Canadians Do Just Enough in Shutout Win - Vancouver Canadians
- Mariners Welcome King Felix to HOF - Everett AquaSox
- Fireworks, Princesses, and Augtoberfest this Weekend - Spokane Indians
- Win Streak Comes to End, Frogs Fall on Walk Off - Everett AquaSox
- Dust Devils Denied Late by Canadians - Tri-City Dust Devils
- Eighth Is Great: Late Rally Wins It for C's - Vancouver Canadians
- Hops Bear Brunt of Baylor Blast - Hillsboro Hops
- Sean Roby Walks It off for the First Series Win Against Everett - Eugene Emeralds
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