Charlie Condon slugs 3-run go-ahead homer, Spokane Indians beat Hillsboro 7-5

Since returning from a wrist injury that kept him out of the first two months of the season, in 12 games with the Spokane Indians Charlie Condon has shown contact ability, good defense at first base and a keen eye – with more walks than strikeouts. 

Sometimes with a wrist injury the power is the last to return. Condon showed Tuesday night he has that in his tool bag as well – and he doesn’t have to pull the ball to get to it. 

Condon hit a go-ahead three-run home run to the opposite field in the seventh inning and the Spokane Indians came from behind to beat the Hillsboro Hops 7-5 at Avista Stadium.

The Indians (27-25) tied the Hops (27-25) for first place in the jam-packed Northwest League. Each of the six teams in the NWL are within two games of the lead. 

Spokane trailed 5-4 entering the bottom of the seventh. Caleb Hobson led off the inning with a single and the Hops brought in reliever Carlos Rey.

But the move backfired as Rey walked Jared Thomas, then on a 2-1 pitch Condon went with an outside pitch and smacked it to right with plenty enough power to hit it well over the short fence and into the batting cages for a three-run homer. 

It was Condon’s second homer in his past four games. He finished 2 for 3 with a walk, two runs and four RBIs and is batting .333 this season.

Spokane (27-25) overcame five runs allowed by starter Konner Eaton, who allowed five hits and a walk with three strikeouts in six innings. Eaton cruised through five but tired in the sixth, allowing an RBI double to Kenny Castillo and a two-run homer to Angel Ortiz, his fourth of the season. He threw 92 pitches, 59 for strikes. 

Reliever Hunter Omlid (6-1) stabilized the pitching with three hitless shutout innings, striking out four.

The series continues Wednesday at 6:35 p.m.