Thursday night continued on with the Spokane Indians getting back to their winning ways by outhitting the Hillsboro Hops for the fourth consecutive game, winning 5-2. The lead went back and forth a few times before the Indians tied the game and took the lead for good in the fourth.

Mack Lemieux started for the Hops going three innings. Giving up one run on three hits, Lemieux left the mound after three with the lead, 2-1. Wei-Chieh Huang (L, 2-2) took the next three innings and got rocked for four runs on six hits for the loss. Tommy Eveld and Curtis Taylor each got an inning to stop the bleeding keeping Spokane scoreless the rest of the way but it was too late. The Indians had already scored their five runs on nine hits by then which was enough for the win.

The Hops took the lead for the only time in the game in the third on a pair of doubles by Adam Walton and Mark Karaviotis. Walton tied the game. Karaviotis scored the go ahead unearned run off the throwing error by short stop by Anderson Tejeda.

The 2-1 lead lasted until the bottom of the fourth where the Indians scored a pair of runs themselves. Alex Kowalczyk homered with Stephen Lohr on base. Two more runs came in the sixth for the winning team for the final score. Curtis Terry led off with a solo shot over the center field wall. Blaine Prescott scored from second base on Luis Terrero’s RBI single.

Tyler Phillips (W, 4-7) went into the seventh inning for the win. Except for the two run third for the Hops, Phillips stayed in control for most of the game. After two walks in the seventh, Phillips headed to the showers with two men on base and one out for a 5-2 lead. Reid Anderson (S, 1) came on to finish the game for the Indians allowing just one hit the rest of the way and earning the save. The only blip came when Justin Chigbogu pinched hit for Adam Walton in the ninth. Chigbogu singled and stole second but was thrown out at third to end the game on a fielder’s choice by Ben DeLuzio.

Mark Karaviotis was the only Hop to have a multi hit game getting two hits. Besides his RBI double in the third, Karaviotis also singled in the first for the Hops first hit of the night. Jason Morozowski, Josh Anderson, Luke Lowery and Adam Walton also singled during the game.

It was Spokane’s bats that thundered through the night. Alex Kowalczyk had the hottest bat going 3 for 4 including his game winning two run blast in the fourth and a double in the eighth. Curtis Terry went 2 for 4 with his solo blast in the sixth. Blaine Prescott doubled in the third and scored off of Luis Terrero’s RBI single in the sixth. Leody Taveras, Charles LeBlanc and Stephen Lohr also singled.

The loss dropped the Hillsboro Hops (20-14) to five games behind Eugene with four games left. Despite Eugene winning the first and second half crowns, the Hops still earned a trip to the playoffs by having the best overall record (39-33 and counting) of the remaining teams.

The win moved the Spokane Indians (12-22) to a half game behind third place Vancouver as the Canadians game was suspended due to rain. Spokane is also going to the playoffs earned by their first half crown.

Both teams will return to Avista Stadium for the fifth and final game of the series. Spokane is leading 3-1. The first game of the playoffs between Hillsboro and Eugene will start at Ron Tonkin Stadium on Wednesday, the 7^th and will finish at Eugene for the three game playoff series. Tickets are already on sale.

By Greg Stoker

@GDStoker