Hops Weekly: Rough weekend leads to series split in Spokane

Published 1:38 pm Monday, August 4, 2025

Heading into last weekend, it appeared the Hops were on their way to a second straight series win. But Spokane had other ideas and acted accordingly, winning two straight and forcing a series split with visiting Hillsboro.

The Hops scored just two runs over the course of those final two games despite leading the league in hitting over the past seven days, batting .238 as a team against the Indians.

Hillsboro also was second in the league in team ERA over that same span, pitching to a team ERA of 2.60.

The starting pitching was particularly impressive with the exception of John West who allowed seven runs in 1.2 innings in the series finale, with the other five starters combining to allow less than two runs over the course of their starts.

Wilkin Paredes highlighted the week on the mound, allowing no earned runs and just three hits in a seven inning start on Jul.31, and in just his second start for the Hops since being called up from Low-A Visalia.

Offensively, the Hops were led by Angel Ortiz and Cristofer Torin who both hit north of .300 in the series, both of whom also homered in the series.

Ortiz also led the team with five RBI over the week.

The series split was the second non-losing week for Hillsboro, which while sounding like a low bar, is an appropriate one for a team that prior was in the midst of losing 23 of 27 games.

The Hops remain on the road this week, traveling to Vancouver for six games with the Canadians before returning home for six games with Everett starting Aug. 12.

Organizational news and notes…Former Hop Geraldo Perdomo hit .412 with a home run in five games with the Diamondbacks last week…Former Hop and University of Oregon pitcher Ryne Nelson allowed one earned run while striking out eight and walking none in 5.1 innings with the Diamondbacks…Former Hop A.J. Vukovich was 11-for-24 with two home runs and six RBI in six games at Triple-A Reno…Reno batted. 320 with nine home runs as a team over the last seven days…Reno’s Bryce Jarvis struggled to the tune of nine earned runs in 2.1 innings in two appearances with Reno…Manuel Pena hit .407 with four home runs and 22 RBI with Double-A Amarillo…Former Hop Ben McLaughlin went 2-for-4 with a home run in his debut at Amarillo on Aug. 3…Third baseman Yassel Soler went 9-for-22 with two home runs in six games at Low-A Visalia…Visalia relief pitcher Grayson Hitt allowed no runs and one hit, while striking out eight in three innings over two appearances.

Below is a summary of last week’s games:

July 29 – Hillsboro 5, Tri-City 2

Despite allowing two first-inning runs, Hillsboro starting pitcher Ashton Izzi impressed in his Hops debut to the tune of a 5-2 win on Tuesday in the first of the team’s six-game set in Spokane.

Izzi – who joined the team from Everett as part of the Arizona Diamondback’s trade with the Seattle Mariners last week – relinquished two earned runs on six hits, while striking out six and walking none in five innings of work.

Tri-City’s two runs came in the first inning as the result of an Aidan Longwell RBI single, followed by an RBI double by Blake Wright. From there it was all Hops who scored a run in the second inning, another in the seventh, two in the eighth, and a final run in the ninth en route to the win in what was the first of what will be a 12-game road trip.

Cristofer Torin had three hits and two runs scored for Hillsboro, while Janel Luis, Druw Jones and Angel Ortiz had two hits apiece.

Ortiz also tallied two RBI, while Jones’ RBI-triple in the eighth amounted to the winning run.

Jones is batting .471 in over the past week.

Hops relievers Dawson Brown, Victor Morales, Carlos Rey and Sam Knowlton combined to allow just two hits over four shutout innings to close the game.

July 30 – Spokane 3, Hillsboro 2

A day removed from a come-from-behind win, it was Spokane that did the coming back, scoring two late runs en route to a 3-2 win on Wednesday night, at Avista Stadium.

Trailing by a run, the Indians scored two runs in the seventh inning then watched their bullpen put the Hops down in order, and all by strikeout.

Spokane got the game’s first run in the fourth inning on a Jesus Bugarin RBI double.

Hillsboro responded with two runs of their own as the result of a Modeifi Marte two-RBI double to right field.

The Hops managed just four hits in the game, while the Indians tallied seven, led by Bugarin, Aidan Longwell and Cole Messina who finished with two apiece.

Hillsboro starting pitcher Yordin Chalas allowed just one earned run on three hits, while Spokane starter Konner Eaton pitched six innings, allowing two earned on four hits.

Indian relievers Davison Palermo earned the win and coupled with Fidel Ulloa struck out seven in three shutout innings.

Hops reliever Denny Larrondo allowed two earned runs in three innings, taking the loss.

July 31 – Hillsboro 8, Spokane 0

It wasn’t perfect, but for a team that’s been far from such for the better part of the summer it sure felt that way.

Hillsboro starting pitcher Wilkin Paredes was dominant in just his second High-A start, and the Hops got home runs from Cristofer Torin, Angel Ortiz and Anderdson Rojas on their way to a dominant 8-0 win at Spokane.

Paredes allowed three hits over seven shutout innings, earning his second win in as many tries with the Hops.

Hillsboro finished with 11 hits overall, and was led by Jansel Luis who went 3-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored.

Ortiz’ home run was his 10th of the season.

Eight of the Hops’ nine starters tallied hits.

The visiting Hops scored a run in the third inning, then blew things open with four runs in the fifth, two in the sixth, and a final run in the ninth.

Spokane starting pitcher Josh Grosz took the loss, allowing five earned runs on eight hits over five innings.

Aug. 1 – Hillsboro 4, Spokane 2

In a game thought to be defined by a matchup between two of the Northwest League’s best starting pitchers, it was the Hops’ bats and bullpen that led them to a 4-2 win over Spokane on Friday night.

Hillsboro had six players tally multiple hits and had 13 hits in all.

Modeifi Marte had three hits for the Hops, while Slade Caldwell, Angel Ortiz, Ben McLaughlin, Kenny Castillo and Anderdson Rojas tallied two apiece.

Hillsboro trailed 2-1 after two innings, but rallied for run in the third fourth and eighth, then watched as their bullpen did the rest.

Daniel Eagen started the game on the mound for the Hops and entered the game with a 2.87 ERA. But after leaving after four innings, Eagan watched as Daniel Nunez, Carlos Rey, Joangel Gonzalez and Sam Knowlton held Spokane scoreless over the final five innings, with Nunez notching five strikeouts in 2.1 innings of work.

Spokane starter Griffin Herring who entered the game with a 1.71 ERA, lasted just three innings after allowing two earned runs on four hits.

Aug. 2 – Spokane 7, Hillsboro 1

The Indians only plated runs in one inning, but it was a really big inning.

Spokane scored seven runs in the second inning, all of which came off of Hillsboro starting pitcher John West and three of which came as the result of a Caleb Hobson three-run home run, then cruised to victory on the backs of pitchers Everett Catlett and Luke Taggart who combined to allow no earned runs in nine innings.

Catlett pitched seven innings, allowing five hits.

West allowed seven earned in 1.2 innings of work.

Druw Jones had three of the Hops’ seven hits.

Spokane was led by Hobson who finished with two hits and three RBI, while three other players tallied multiple hits.

Aug. 3 – Spokane 2, Hillsboro 1

There was a pitcher’s duel in the Hops’ series finale in Spokane on Suncday, and sadly for Hillsboro – it was one they lost.

The Indians got a run in the first inning, the Hops tied it on a Modeifi Marte sacrifice fly in the seventh, then Spokane won the game with a walkoff sacrifice bunt in the tenth to salvage a split in six-game set at Avista Stadium.

Hops starting pitcher Junior Sanchez allowed one earned run in four innings, and a stable of four Hillsboro pitchers combined to allow just seven hits over nine innings, but were outdone by Spokane starter Stu Flesland and three total pitchers who allowed just four hits over 10 innings.

Tommy Hopfe led the Indians with three hits.