Eighth Inning Explosion Powers Hops to 9-5 Win

Hillsboro, OR (August 27, 2024) – The Hops trailed the Vancouver Canadians by seven games for the final Northwest League playoff spot entering play on Tuesday. Hillsboro needs to win at least five-of-six games from Vancouver to keep hopes alive heading into the final series of the season and they started the series on the right foot. A huge six-run eighth inning was capped off by back-to-back home runs by Gino Groover and Jack Hurley in the 9-5 win.

Hillsboro struck first in the series opener when Gino Groover belted a solo home run in the second inning off Vancouver starter Ryan Watson. Groover’s fourth home run of the year and first of two in the game made it 1-0.

Roman Angelo was coming off the best outing of his professional career when he tossed seven no-hit innings against Spokane last week. He continued to pitch well in the opening innings against Vancouver and after 2.1 hitless innings to start the game he had not allowed a hit in 9.1 innings. Vancouver then put together back-to-back-to-back hits in the third, scoring runs on a Jackson Hornung single and Peyton Williams sac fly that gave them a 2-1 advantage.

The Hops immediately responded with two runs of their own in the fourth inning. Junior Franco led off with a single and a solen base (17) and Gino Groover drove him home on a single to tie the game. Jose Fernandez’s groundout then scored Gavin Conticello and gave Hillsboro a 3-2 lead.

Back-and-forth we went as Vancouver took the lead right back in the sixth. Roman Angelo was still on the mound for the Hops as the Canadians added three to their total. Gavin Logan was called for catcher’s interference allowing Jacob Sharp to reach base on what should have been the final out of the inning. After that, Vancouver plated three runs and took a commanding lead. Brennan Orf tripled home two runs and Bryce Arnold singled, making it 5-3. Angelo left the game after allowing four runs and seven hits in 6.1 innings.

Hillsboro blew the game open in the eighth inning as they scored six runs on eight base hits. Grayson Thurman had the worst outing of his season and maybe his career, as he allowed all six runs and eight hits in the frame. Gavin Conticello singled home a run to bring the Hops’ to within one and sending Gino Groover up with two runners on base. On a 3-2 pitch Groover smoked his second home run of the game, a go-ahead three-run homer to give Hillsboro a 7-5 lead. The next batter Jack Hurley pulled a home run down the right field line for his 12^th homer of the season. Back-to-back home runs by the four and five hitters in the Hops’ lineup broke the game open. They weren’t done there, as Tommy Troy added one more insurance run with an RBI single.

Yordin Chalas

The Hops had 14 hits and were 5-for-10 with runners in scoring position. Every batter in the Hillsboro lineup had at least one hit and top four batters all had two-hit games.

Gino Groover was 3-for-5 with two home runs and five RBI.

The Hops and Canadians will meet tomorrow at Hillsboro Ballpark for game two of the series. First pitch is at 7:05 with the pregame show starting at 6:50 on Rip City Radio 620 AM and Bally Live.