The Hillsboro Hops held an eight-run lead Tuesday night. They lost by two.

Spokane scored 10 unanswered runs over its final three at-bats to stun Hillsboro 12-10 at Avista Stadium, a collapse that turned on one play: catcher Carlos Virahonda dropping a foul pop-up in the sixth inning. All five runs Spokane scored that frame were unearned, and the Indians matched the total two innings later to complete the comeback.

The loss, reported by the Hillsboro News Times, extends a painful pattern. Spokane swept all six games when the teams met in Hillsboro in early July, erasing late leads in three of those contests. Tuesday's meltdown was the most dramatic version yet.

Offense wasn't the problem

JD Dix led the Hops with three hits and three RBI. Carlos Virahonda, Kayson Cunningham, Jakey Josepha and Kenny Castillo each collected two hits. Hillsboro outhit Spokane 15-11 overall.

It was the second time this season the Hops recorded 15 hits in a game. They lost both.

Hillsboro built its cushion methodically: two runs in the first, two in the third, five in the fifth and one more in the sixth to go up 10-2. Starter Patrick Forbes allowed just one hit in three innings, though three walks kept the door cracked.

The collapse

Jacob Steinmetz relieved Forbes and worked into the sixth. After Virahonda's dropped pop-up extended the inning, Spokane pushed across five unearned runs to cut the deficit to 10-7.

Reliever Rocco Reid entered and kept the Indians off the board in the seventh. But the eighth inning unraveled: Spokane plated five more runs off Reid, four earned, to take a 12-10 lead. Reid took the loss.

Robert Calaz powered the Indians' offense, going 4-for-5 with a home run. Tanner Thach added two hits and four RBI. Dylan Crooks earned the win with two shutout innings in relief.

Playoff picture dims

The defeat deepens Hillsboro's hole. Entering the Spokane series, the Hops sat eight games behind first-place Eugene and seven behind Vancouver for the final playoff spot with 18 games remaining. Tuesday's result pushes that math further in the wrong direction.

The two teams meet again Wednesday, Aug. 19, at 6:35 p.m. at Avista Stadium for game two of the six-game series. After Spokane, Hillsboro returns home to face Tri-City beginning Tuesday, Aug. 25.