Gorman Leads Way as Hops Thwart Spokane

SPOKANE, WASH. --- Will Gorman is a gamer. One night after returning to the Hops following a 44-day absence --- he was struck in the mouth by a fastball on Opening Night in Everett, causing multiple facial fractures --- Gorman collected four singles, knocked home two and scored two in an 8-6 Hillsboro win on Monday night in Spokane.
The Hops trailed 3-0 entering the top of the fifth, but scored six times in the inning on the strength of six hits and three Spokane errors. With one out, Hops center fielder Jake McCarthy --- celebrating his 21st birthday --- tripled into the right-field corner. Jorge Perez singled him home, Andy Yerzy walked and Joey Rose singled to load the bases. After Francis Martinez struck out, Gorman came up with the sacks full and two down. He singled to right to drive home two and tie the game.

Hillsboro then put on a first-and-third double steal, with Rose coming home and Gorman making it back to first base on an error on Spokane first baseman Curtis Terry. Hillsboro led 4-3. Keshawn Lynch reached base on an error on Indians third baseman Diosbel Arias. Zack Jones singled, scoring Gorman from second, with Lynch scoring all the way from first on an error by center fielder J.P. Martinez. It was 6-3 Hops.
The Indians came back in the bottom of the 5th. J.P. Martinez led off with a walk, and Terry --- the league-leader in home runs and RBIs --- belted his 12th dinger of the year. That trimmed Hillsboro's lead to 6-5.
Spokane then wasted chances in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings, loading the bases each time. With the sacks full and one out in the sixth, Yeison Santana got Spokane's Jonah McReynolds to ground into a double play. The Indians scored the tying run in the seventh on Arias' second run-scoring single of the game, but left the bases full when Ethan Larrison got Cristian Inoa to ground out to short. And in the eighth, Spokane loaded 'em up again, but Josh Green retired Jax Biggers on a ground-out to first.
The Hops broke the 6-6 tie in the top of the ninth. Gorman led off with a base hit to right, and then stole second. Lynch singled to left, sending Gorman to third --- and when Lynch rounded first, Arias threw wildly, allowing Gorman to score the go-ahead run.
Jones was hit by a pitch, and after he and Lynch pulled off a double-steal, L.T. Tolbert singled to right to bring home Lynch and make it 8-6.
Green allowed only a two-out single in the 9th, retiring Hasuan Viera on a ground-out to second to end the game.
Yerzy went 3-for-4 with a walk and HBP. Hillsboro starter Jackson Goddard worked three innings, allowing three hits and one run. Green (3-0) got the win, while Spokane reliever Xavier Moore took the loss in his Northwest League debut.
Hillsboro (5-2 in the second half, 29-16 overall) remains one game up on Salem-Keizer in the South Division second-half race. Spokane (4-3, 20-25) remains in a first-place tie with Vancouver in the North. The Hops are now 8-1 against Spokane this season.
The final game of the series is Tuesday night at 6:35. The radio broadcast begins at 6:30 on NBC Sports Northwest Rip City Radio 620AM, and online at www.Rip City Radio.com.