Yanquiel Fernandez paces offense again, Spokane Indians hang on to edge Hillsboro 11-10

Yanquiel Fernandez is enjoying playing against the Hillsboro Hops this week. 

Fernandez went 3 for 5 with a homer, two runs and three RBIs and the Spokane Indians beat the visiting Hops for the third night in a row – though it wasn’t easy – in an 11-10 decision in a High-A Northwest League game at Avista Stadium on Thursday. 

Fernandez hit for the cycle on Wednesday and is 10 for 15 with three homers and nine RBIs in the first three games of the series. He has hit safely in nine of his last 10 games and has raised his average to .291.

The first batter of the game, Wildred Patino, lined a triple into the left-field gap and scored on a single by JJ D’Orazio.

The Indians (15-12) responded in the bottom half. After Benny Montgomery and Braxton Fulford walked, Jordan Beck lined an RBI single to right. 

A single by Fernandez and RBI double by Juan Guerrero preceded Zach Kokoska’s three-run home run over the scoreboard in right center field. It was his third homer in the last three games, his sixth of the season and it ended the evening for Hillsboro starter Dylan Ray. 

Indians starter Jerrod Cande sandwiched a walk between two strikeouts in the second, but he walked No. 9 hitter Jacen Roberson then Patino clubbed a two-run double off the wall in left center to make it 6-3. 

There was a scary scene with two down in the bottom of the third. A 2-0 fastball by Hillsboro’s Peniel Otano hit in front of the plate, skipped up and hit home plate umpire Trevor Patience in the neck area. Patience took off his mask and bent over to collect himself, but when he stood back up he wobbled, then fainted and fell backward.

Trainers rushed to his aid. After several moments and tests, the trainers helped Patience first sit up, then brought him to his feet and helped him off the field under his own power. Base umpire Jack Wason took over behind the plate and the game continued with one umpire.

Hillsboro (10-20) trimmed its deficit to two in the fifth. Patino singled, went to third on an errant pickoff throw and scored on a flyout by Channy Ortiz. 

Fernandez provided some cushion with his live-drive homer off the caboose in right center.

It was a good thing. With two down in the seventh, Patino singled, went to second on a single by Ortiz and both scored on a double by Shane Muntz. D’Orazio singled home Muntz to make it 8-7.

Spokane got a run in the bottom half when Ben Sems scored on a passed ball, and two more in the eighth on a two-run single by Sems – though he was thrown out trying to stretch the hit into a double. 

Hillsboro wasn’t done though, as reliever Angel Chivilli surrendered a three-run homer with two down in the ninth, but he came back to get Gary Mattis Jr to bounce out to end it.

Transactions: LHP Evan Justice was promoted to Hartford (AA). In 2023 he had thrown 9 2/3 innings and allowed no earned runs with 19/5 strikeout-to-walk ratio. The 24-year-old missed all of last year due to a shoulder injury.

Infielder Aiverson Rodriguez was added to roster from the Rockies Arizona Complex League. The 20-year-old was hitting .338 with a homer and seven RBIs in 22 games. He played primarily at second base but has experience at shortstop and third.