Jun. 7—A strong wind blew in from right field all day Sunday, but it didn't seem to bother the Hillsboro Hops.
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The Hops pounded Spokane pitching for 16 hits, including three home runs and a total of nine extra-base hits, and the Indians lost 14-0 in the finale of a High-A Northwest League series at Avista Stadium.
Hillsboro (26-31) took four of six this week, sending the Indians (23-34) into a last-place tie with Vancouver. Nine games remain in the NWL first half.
The Hops jumped on top in the third. Yassel Soler led off with a double and later scored on a throwing error by catcher Juan Castillo. The big blow came from outfielder Avery Owusu-Asiedu, who crushed a fastball way over the netting above the left -field wall and into the fairgrounds' parking lot for his fifth homer of the season and a 3-0 lead.
Soler doubled again in the third inning, knocking in two runners — both of whom walked.
The Indians loaded the bases with one down in the bottom half on three singles, but Jack O'Dowd and Ethan Hedges popped up to the infield to end the only real scoring threat from the home team all game.
Slade Caldwell clubbed a homer through the teeth of the strong right-to-left wind over the 401 mark in straight center field, his third of the season, to make it 8-0 in the seventh. The Hops picked up another run in the inning on a pair of singles and a fielder's choice off reliever Hunter Omlid.
The Hops got five more in the eighth off Omlid, including a bases-loaded three-run double by Alberto Barriga, elevating Omlid's ERA to 13.50 through 11 relief appearances this season.
Indians starter Jordy Vargas made it through just three innings. The 22-year-old righty allowed five runs on five hits and two walks with four strikeouts. He threw 65 pitches, 36 for strikes.
The Indians travel to Eugene to start a six-game series against the first-place Emeralds on Tuesday at 6:35 p.m.