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Spokane Indians

GJ Hill hits solo homer in ninth, Spokane Indians edge Everett in series opener 2-1

By Dave Nichols daven@spokesman.com(509) 459-5441

EVERETT – A pitcher’s duel was decided in the late innings by a solo home run derby.

GJ Hill hit the second pitch of the ninth inning for a solo home run and the Spokane Indians edged the Everett AquaSox 2-1 in the opener of a six-game High-A Northwest League series at Funko Field on Tuesday.

All three runs were scored on solo homers.

Hill, who finished 2 for 3 for the Indians (15-10), hit his second High-A homer of the season. He hit four for Double-A Hartford before being transferred to the Spokane roster on Friday.

Both starters tossed six scoreless innings, but while Everett (8-17) went to the bullpen, Indians starter Everett Catlett – making his first High-A start of the season – was sent back out for the seventh.

With one down, AquaSox outfielder Tai Peete lofted a long fly ball that barely cleared the high wall in right-center for his 14th home run of the season.

Catlett got the next two outs to end the inning. He allowed two hits and two walks with 10 strikeouts over seven innings. He threw a career-high 100 pitches, 67 for strikes.

Tommy Hopfe, who was assigned to the Indians on Tuesday, got Catlett off the hook with a solo homer leading off the eighth. It was his sixth homer of the season.

Everett starter Ashton Izzi gave up three hits with no walks and struck out seven over six innings.

Transactions: Catlett and Hopfe were two of three players transferred to the Spokane roster before the game.

Catlett, a left-handed pitcher, made 21 appearances (12 starts) covering 83⅓ innings with Low-A Fresno. He went 5-5 with a 3.46 ERA and 89 strikeouts. Catlett was the Colorado Rockies 12th-round pick in the 2024 MLB draft.

Hopfe played 68 games at Fresno but hit the injured list on July 8 and recently completed a three-game rehab assignment with the Rockies’ Arizona Complex League team. With Fresno, the Rockies’ ninth-round pick in 2024 out of Fresno State hit .263/.378/.636 with five homers, 14 doubles, 31 RBIs and 15 stolen bases.

Pitcher Fidel Ulloa was the Rockies’ seventh-round pick in the 2024 MLB draft out of Louisiana State. He pitched in 26 games in relief for Fresno before being put on the injured list, then made two appearances with the ACL Rockies. With Fresno, he went 3-2 with a 1.77 ERA over 35⅔ innings with five holds, two saves and 46 strikeouts.