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Spokane Indians

Spokane Indians walked off by solo home run, Eugene wins 7-6 | NWL baseball

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

EUGENE, Ore. – Trevor Cohen launched a solo home run with one out in the bottom of the ninth and the Eugene Emeralds edged the Spokane Indians 7-6 in the fourth of a six-game High-A Northwest League series at PK Park on Friday.

It’s the second walk-off home run of the season for the first-place Ems (41-20). The Indians (25-36) were trying for their first three-game win streak of the season.

Indians outfielder Tommy Hopfe hit the second pitch of the game for a solo home run, his sixth of the season. Ethan Hedges added a one-out double and scored on a single by Jack O’Dowd.

Spokane made it 3-0 in the fourth when Max Belyeu walked, advanced on a hit batter and later scored on a fly out.

The Emeralds countered in the bottom half. Jancel Villarroel hit a two-run homer in the bottom half against Yuma Herrera, then the first five batters of the fifth inning reached against reliever Brayan Perez – and four scored.

Robert Hipwell hit a solo homer to start the rally and tie the game, then back-to-back doubles by Trevor Cohen and Jhonny Level made it 4-3. RBI singles by Villarroel and Zander Darby put the Ems up 6-3.

The Indians loaded the bases with no outs in the eighth, then reliever Liam Simon was called for a balk to bring a run in and move the other runners up a bag. Simon struck out Kelvin Hidalgo, but Hopfe’s big bouncer to second skipped past the fielder and both runners scored to tie it 6-6.

O’Dowd led off the ninth with a double to record his second four-hit game since joining the Indians. But Emeralds reliever Ryan Slater came back to retire the next three batters in order.

The series continues Saturday at 5:05 p.m.

Moves: RHP Jackson Cox was promoted to Double-A Hartford before the game. The Colorado Rockies second-round pick in the 2022 draft out of Toutle Lake HS went 4-1 with a 4.24 ERA and 1.265 WHIP with a NWL-leading 78 strikeouts in 11 games (10 starts) over 55 1/3 innings.

Also, RHP Gabriel Hughes was removed from rehab and reinstated to Triple-A Albuquerque. The Rockies first-round pick (10th overall) in the 2022 draft made two rehab starts in Spokane covering six innings. He allowed no runs, two hits and three walks with 10 strikeouts.