Hillsboro’s Cody Reed stymies Indians in Hops victory

HILLSBORO, Ore. – As the weather has cooled, so has the Spokane Indians’ offense.

Hillsboro starter Cody Reed limited Spokane to three hits over six shutout innings on Saturday and the Hops used four early runs to cruise to 9-0 win at Ron Tonkin Field.

Reed (3-1) struck out eight as he dropped his ERA to 1.65 during the 70-degree evening outside Portland.

Suddenly-cold Indians center fielder LeDarious Clark was held hitless for the third straight game, striking out three times in this one. He is now 0 for 13 after running a hitting streak to 18 games on Thursday.

The Hops jumped on Indians starter Cole Wiper (0-1) in the first inning with an RBI single by Trevor Mitsui. Hillsboro then added three more in the second with a two-out rally sparked by back-to-back doubles and an error by Indians first baseman Connor McKay.

Reed followed up with his third consecutive two-strikeout inning in the top of the third.

The Hops played add-on in the fifth inning, getting to Spokane reliever Peter Fairbanks for three runs. Sergio Alcantara’s two-out, two-RBI single was the key at-bat of the inning.

That was all the support Reed would need.

Of the Indians’ four hits, only Sherman Lacrus’ second-inning double went for extra bases.

Spokane has now dropped three straight games – all at Hillsboro – after winning seven of the previous nine.

Clark’s average fell to .374, still best among active players in the Northwest League.