Clutch Hits Still Absent As Hops Drop 3rd Straight

VANCOUVER, B.C -- The hottest pitching staff in the Northwest League continued to work its magic Wednesday night as the Vancouver Canadians (5-0 second half, 35-33 overall) extended a scoreless innings streak to 28 innings before defeating Hillsboro 3-1.

The Hops (1-4 second half, 36-34 overall) had plenty of opportunities to score with nine hits in the contest, but were unable to push a run across until Christian Cerda's bases-loaded walk in the eighth inning made it a 3-1 game.

After Vancouver reliever Chay Yeager allowed a hit, two walks and a hit batter, former Oregon Duck reliever Josh Mollerus took over with one out and the tying runs at second and third in the eighth. Mollerus struck out Junior Franco and retired Kevin Sim on a fly out to left to quell the threat, then escaped a second and third, one-out jam in the ninth with back-to-back strikeouts to seal the win, earning his fourth save of the year.

Pat Gallagher (2-4) tossed a career-high seven innings, allowing seven hits, but no runs with two strikeouts and two walks for the C's, who have the Northwest League's top marks for team ERA, WHIP, opponent's batting average and strikeouts in the month of June.

Roman Angelo (3-4) surrendered a career-worst 11 hits over five-plus innings, but only walked one batter. The right hander allowed three runs to keep the Hops in striking distance.

Eight times in the two games of the series so far the Hops have put the leadoff runner on base, but none of those runners has scored. Hillsboro went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position Wednesday night. That lone hit was unfortunately an infield hit by Franco with two outs and Gavin Conticello at second base. Sensing the need to force the action, Hops manager Javier Colina sent Conticello home on Franco's chopper to shortstop Nick Goodwin. Goodwin's throw to first was late, but first baseman Peyton Williams' throw home was in plenty of time to get Conticello to end the inning.

Williams gave Vancouver the lead with a third inning sacrifice fly, plating Estiven Machado, who led off the inning with a base hit. The C's added two more runs in the fourth on a one-out double by Je'Von Ward, an RBI single by Jeff Wehler and a run-scoring Machado infield hit to second after Wehler had advanced to third on a pair of Angelo wild pitches.

The Canadians collected 12 hits on the night, three each by Ward and Jamari Baylor. Vancouver had at least one hit in each of the first six innings, before relievers Alec Baker (two innings) and Yordin Chalas (1 inning) limited the C's to no runs and a single over the final three.

Jean Walters matched a career-high with four hits for the Hops, but was picked off first base after leading off the game with a single.

The Hops went 0-for-9 in at bats following their nine singles and failed to advance the runner all nine times. They had one final chance in the ninth, after Juan Corniel battled his way aboard on a nine-pitch, one-out walk. Walters followed with a bloop single to left field and both runners advanced into scoring position with one out. But Manny Pena got caught looking at strike three before Mollerus fanned Jack Hurley to close the game.

The Hops return to Rip City Radio 620 Thursday night with pregame coverage beginning at 6:50 p.m. and the first pitch at 7:05. The final three games of the series are all at 1:05 p.m. Friday through Sunday.