Hops Manhandled in Record-Setting Loss
Published on May 11, 2023 under Northwest League (NWL)
Hillsboro Hops News Release
SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. --- A number of dubious records were set Wednesday night as the Spokane Indians steamrollered the Hillsboro Hops 18-1 in the second game of their six-game series at Avista Stadium.
After taking a 1-0 lead on Ivan Melendez's second home run of the series, Hillsboro (10-19) watched as a talented Tribe squad took batting practice for the next two and a half hours.
The Indians (14-12) took the lead for good with three solo home runs in the second inning off Hops starting pitcher Avery Short (0-2), who surrendered a fourth dinger, a two-run shot by Adael Amador after a leadoff error in the fourth, giving Spokane a 7-1 lead. The Blue Bombers were just beginning as 14 men came to the plate in the fourth against three Hops pitchers, with the Tribe plating 11 runs on eight hits and two Hops errors to take a 16-1 lead.
When the dust settled after nine innings, the Indians had totaled seven homers and 14 extra-base hits, both records for a Hops opponent. The 17-run losing margin was the largest in Hops history, with 18 runs the second-most scored by a Hops opponent, trailing only the 20 scored by the Everett AquaSox last month. The 11-run inning was also a record-setter.
Individually, Yanquiel Fernandez led the way by hitting for the cycle. The Cuban right fielder went 5 for 6 with two home runs, three runs scored and four runs batted in. He became the first opposing player to hit for the cycle against the Hops in their ten-year history and his 14 total bases was also a record for an opposing player. Fernandez's final homer came in the bottom of the eighth with Hops catcher Ramses Malave on the hill to record the final outs in the massacre.
Jordan Beck homered and doubled, extending his torrid hitting streak to a dozen games, while adding to his league-leading homer (9) and RBI (28) totals. Two other Tribe hitters were a hit away from the cycle as Juan Guerrero went 3 for 6 with a homer, triple two runs and two RBI and A.J. Lewis was 3 for 6 with a homer, double, two runs and one RBi.
Former Oregon Duck Cullen Kafka (2-0) picked up the win with three innings of scoreless relief in back of Jaden Hill, an injury plagued 2nd-rounder from LSU who is on a tight innings limit.
Wilderd Patino went 2 for 3 with a walk as the Hops were limited to just five hits by four Indians pitchers.
Hillsboro has now lost five straight and eight of their last nine games. Through two games of the series, Hillsboro has been outscored 27-2 and outhit 29-8. In their last four Tuesday-Wednesday games, the Hops are 0-4, outscored by a 43-4 margin.
The Hops will try to right the ship on Thursday with pregame coverage starting at 6:20 and first pitch at 6:35 p.m. on 620 Rip City Radio.
Northwest League Stories from May 11, 2023
- MiLB and the American Cancer Society Launch 2023 Campaign - Everett AquaSox
- Brown Blasts 10th Inning Walkoff Home Run, Sox Lose 3-1 - Everett AquaSox
- Hops Manhandled in Record-Setting Loss - Hillsboro Hops
- Brown's Big Fly in Extras Wins It for C's - Vancouver Canadians
- Tri-City Tops Eugene in Pitcher's Duel to Even Series - Tri-City Dust Devils
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