HILLSBORO, Ore. – For the second game in a row, home runs from the middle of the batting order made all the difference. 

Jordan Beck broke a tie with a solo home run in the ninth inning and the Spokane Indians beat the Hillsboro Hops 5-4 in a High-A Northwest League game at Ron Tonkin Field on Wednesday.

The first-place Indians (28-24) have won the first two games of the six-game series.

Beck’s home run was his 15th of the season, tying teammate Yanquiel Fernandez, who hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning to put the Indians up 2-1. 

Fernandez, the NWL’s reigning player of the month, went 2 for 4 with three RBIs. 

Spokane scored twice in the eighth inning on RBI singles by Benny Montgomery and Fernandez to go up 4-1.

Hillsboro’s Ivan Melendez hit a three-run homer off reliever Bryce McGowan in the bottom half to tie the game for the Hops (22-31).

Blake Adams was superb in his first High-A Start for Spokane. The 22-year-old right hander went seven innings and allowed one run on six hits and no walks with six strikeouts. His only blemish was Wilderd Patino’s third inning solo home run, his first of the season. 

Angel Chivilli struck out one in a perfect ninth inning for his sixth save of the season. 

Adams was promoted from Low-A Fresno in a corresponding move to Gabriel Hughes’ promotion to Double-A Hartford. In eight games, all starts, with Fresno this season, Adams went 1-3 with a 2.60 ERA and 53 strikeouts over 45 innings. 

The series continues at 1:05 p.m. Thursday.