Knights rip Gems 10-1 to grow West lead.

Nick Torres (pictured) of Cal Poly and Connor Hofmann of Oregon each drove in two runs and scored once to power the Knights to a crucial victory.

Corvallis (24-20 WCL, 27-20 overall) thus doubled its West Division lead over the second-place Gems (21-21 WCL) to two games and extended its edge over third-place Bend (19-21) to three games. The top two finishers advance to the divisional playoffs.

"Winning tonight is really key, and it gives us a big momentum swing" in the Knights' bid for their sixth consecutive West Division regular-season championship and resulting playoff berth, Hofmann said.

Torres doubled twice and singled and Hofmann tripled and singled as the Knights battered six Gems pitchers for 14 hits one night after a frustrating 4-1, 11-inning loss to the Gems. Corvallis scored in double-digits for the first time since an 11-5 win at Cowlitz on June 19 and every starter except one had a hit or an RBI.

Hofmann had three hits in the All-Star Game and has at least one knock in five of the last six games in which he's had more than two at-bats.

"I have been focusing on putting my foot down to see the pitch, and I'm focusing on my quality at-bats, not the negatives," the Oregon junior-to-be said. "Being the All-Star Game MVP is a really cool feeling I'm proud of myself, but it doesn�t really affect what is going on (with the Knights)."

Marc Gallegos had two hits, two runs and an RBI; Caleb Whalen had three singles and Nate Esposito had two hits and an RBI to complement Hofmann and Torres.

Starter Bryan Granger was the beneficiary of the offensive breakout. The rising sophomore at Cal Poly allowed one run and two hits in five innings and earned his third win.

Rob Dittrick, Antonio Gonzales and Aaron Corwin finished up with four combined innings of 1-hit relief. Gonzales and Corwin combined to fan the final five Gems' hitters.

The crowd of 1,125 raised the season total to 32,356, the second-best in franchise history. The Knights are just 687 fans behind last year�s record pace of 42,447.

The Knights host the WCL Portland Lobos in nonleague games on Friday and Saturday nights. Righty Brandon Jackson (1-0, 6.57) is their scheduled starter on Friday; lefty Carlos Rodriguez (2-1, 3.77) goes on Saturday.

Friday is Cap Night. The first 1,000 fans get a throwback Knights cap from the Tommy Hanson/Bud Norris era; it is cardinal, with a white block K. Saturday is Brent Morel Bobblehead Night. The first 750 fans get a bobblehead of the Chicago White Sox third baseman, the first Corvallis Knight to play in the majors.