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Spokane Indians

Jordy Vargas sharp in first road start, Spokane Indians hold off Hillsboro 6-3 | NWL baseball

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

HILLSBORO, Ore. – Jordy Vargas turned in a strong outing in his first road start, Tommy Hopfe homered and the Spokane Indians held off the Hillsboro Hops 6-3 in the fifth of a six-game High-A Northwest League series on Saturday at Hillsboro Hops Ballpark .

Vargas, who missed half of the 2023 season and all of 2024 due to Tommy John surgery, gave up one run on one hit and two walks with six strikeouts over five innings. He threw 69 pitches, 41 for strikes. Vargas retired the last 10 batters he faced.

The only blemish on Vargas’ record on Saturday was a first inning solo home run by Avery Owusu-Asiedu, his first of the season.

The Indians got that runs back, and more, in the second. Kevin Fitzer was hit by a pitch leading off the inning, then Hopfe crushed a 2-0 fastball to right center for his first home run of the season and a 2-1 lead.

It stayed that way until the fifth. Hops reliever Joangel Gonzalez gave up consecutive hits to Juan Castillo and Caleb Hobson, then Jacob Humphrey walked to load the bases.

With one down, Gonzalez uncorked a wild pitch allowing a run to score, then Max Belyeu walked to load the bases again.

Ethan Hedges’ ground ball single past first base brought in the second run of the inning, but Fitzer hit into a double play to end the rally.

The Indians added insurance in the ninth against reliever Ricardo Yan. Hobson reached on a single and Jacob Humphrey was hit by a pitch. Yan threw a wild pitch, moving both runners up a base, then Tevin Tucker dumped a single into center to plate a run.

Tucker stole second to put runners at second and third, still with no outs. Belyeu grounded out to first and Ethan Hedges struck out, but Yan’s second wild pitch of the inning brought in Humphrey to make it 6-1.

The extra runs mattered, as Hillsboro rallied for two runs in the bottom of the ninth before Indians reliever Francis Rivera struck out Wallace Clark for the final out of the game.

The series finale is Sunday at 1:05 p.m.