Starter Brayan Castillo sharp, bullpen implodes as Spokane Indians fall to last-place Hillsboro in extras 6-5

Brayan Castillo might not have a fancy resume or lofty prospect status, but the 22-year-old right-handed starter is showing some promise this season for the Spokane Indians.

On Saturday against the Hillsboro Hops, he struck out eight over six strong innings and left the game tied at 1-1. The Indians grabbed the lead late, but the bullpen wasn’t up to the task.

After the Hops tied it with two runs in the ninth inning, Ivan Melendez hit a three-run home run in the 10th, and the Indians fell to the Hops 6-5 in a Northwest League game at Avista Stadium. Spokane leads the six-game series 3-2.

Melendez has homered in each of his past four games.

Indians first baseman Zach Kokoska hit a two-run home run in the seventh inning, his seventh of the season and fourth in as many games, and Adael Amador hit a two-run shot in the 10th.

The Indians fell to 15-14 and last-place Hillsboro improved to 12-20.

Kokoska gave the Indians a 3-1 lead, but Hillsboro scored twice in the ninth to tie it. S.P. Chen delivered an RBI single and reliever Angel Chivilli hit Josh Day, hitting .096 for the season, with the bases loaded to tie it.

Chivilli struggled in the 10th. With the extra-inning runner at second base, Channy Ortiz singled and Melendez homered to right.

Chivilli got the next two batters but walked a pair and was lifted. His ERA rose to 11.25 in 11 appearances this season.

The bullpen struggles ruined Castillo’s stellar appearance. He allowed one run on three hits and one walk.

“Every day, I’m working hard,” Castillo said through a translator. “Try to stay focused, throw strikes. The goal is the major leagues.”

Castillo’s only run allowed came in the fourth. Ortiz drew a leadoff walk, went to third on a single by Melendez and scored on Shane Muntz’s sacrifice fly.

The Indians answered in the bottom half. Braxton Fulford lined a single over the head of shortstop Day and scored on a two-out single by Yanquiel Fernandez.

It stayed that way until the seventh. With one down, Fernandez doubled but was caught in a rundown after a comebacker by Juan Guerrero, who ended up at second. That brought up Kokoska, who hit a 2-1 fastball over the wall in right-center.

“I’m seeing the ball well right now,” Kokoska said. “I feel comfortable in the box. Overall, I think our team’s hitting pretty well right now.”

Spokane has scored 46 runs in the series.