David Hagaman held Spokane to two hits and struck out nine over seven scoreless innings Tuesday night, but it wasn't enough.

The Hillsboro Hops lost 2-0 to the Spokane Indians in the series opener at Hops Ballpark on June 30, after reliever Joangel Gonzalez walked in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning.

The loss dropped Hillsboro to 6-4 in the Northwest League's second-half standings and into a first-place tie with Spokane.

Hagaman was dominant from the start, scattering just two hits and issuing no walks while piling up nine strikeouts through seven frames. But the Hops' offense couldn't crack Spokane starter Yujanyer Herrera, who matched Hagaman's zeros with six strikeouts and no walks over six innings of three-hit ball.

Gonzalez entered for the eighth and struck out Kevin Fitzer to open the frame. Then things unraveled. He hit Juan Castillo, walked Tevin Tucker, walked Tommy Hopfe, and walked Roynier Hernandez to force in the game's first run. Kethan Hedges followed with a sacrifice fly to right field, making it 2-0.

Four free passes in a single inning erased seven innings of shutdown pitching.

Hillsboro had its best chance in the seventh. Slade Caldwell drew a walk, JD Dix dropped a bunt single, and Kayson Cunningham — the Arizona Diamondbacks' No. 2 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline — reached on a fielder's choice. Carlos Virahonda was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out, putting the tying run 90 feet from home.

Yassel Soler stepped in and grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to end the threat. Spokane reliever Rivera escaped without damage, and the scoreless tie held until the eighth.

The Hops outhit Spokane 5-3 on the night but stranded every runner they put on base.

Hillsboro entered the homestand riding five consecutive series wins, including a four-games-to-two triumph over Vancouver the prior week. The Hops had been one game ahead of Spokane in the second-half race as recently as June 29.

Pitcher Patrick Forbes told the Beaverton Valley Times earlier in the homestand that the team's focus remains singular: "Our goal is to win the second half and then face them in the playoffs."

Game 2 of the six-game series was July 1 at Hops Ballpark. The homestand continues through July 5 with fireworks shows scheduled after the July 3, and July 4 games.