Jared Thomas homers early, Spokane Indians pull away from Hillsboro 10-3

From staff reports

HILLSBORO, Ore. – Jared Thomas homered on the first pitch of the game and the Spokane Indians pulled away from the Hillsboro Hops 10-3 in the opener of a six-game High-A Northwest League series at Hillsboro Ballpark on Tuesday.

Thomas finished 2 for 6, raising his league-leading batting average to .326. He is tied for fifth in the league in home runs (11) and RBIs (41). Spokane’s Cole Messina went 3 for 5 with an RBI and two runs and EJ Andrews Jr. went 2 for 5 with a home run.

Thomas’ home run set the tempo, and the Indians added a run in the second inning on doubles by Messina and Tevin Tucker.

Hillsboro’s Kevin Sim hit his first home run of the season, a solo shot, in the third.

It was all Spokane (3-1 second half) after that.

Messina doubled in a run in the sixth, went to third on the throw and scored on a fly out. The Indians added three in the seventh, with Perez delivering a two-out, two-run single.

Andrews drilled a two-run home run in the eighth, his second of the season, and another run came in on a fielder’s choice.

Indians starting pitcher Michael Prosecky (6-5), who was bumped from his scheduled start on Sunday with a migraine, went six solid innings.

Prosecky allowed one run on three hits, striking out four and walking two. He threw 85 pitches, 60 for strikes.

Indians reliever Hunter Mann struggled in the eighth, allowing two runs on two hits and a walk, but he handled a scoreless ninth.

The Hops lost their seventh consecutive game

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