Hops Strand 15 Runners on Base in 8-2 Loss to AquaSox

Hillsboro, OR (June 21, 2024) – With the first half of the 2024 season in the books, the Hops and AquaSox began the second half of the Northwest League schedule on Friday night at Funko Field. Hillsboro was a season-high five games over .500 entering the game and took a three-game winning streak into the contest. The Hops had at least one runner reach base in all nine innings, but were just 1-for-15 with runners in scoring position and left 15 runners on base while the AquaSox teed off for four home runs in the 8-2 Everett win.

The Hops would strike first in the first inning against Ty Cummings on a controversial call that resulted in Everett skipper Ryan Scott being ejected from the game. Jean Waters led off with a double and then the next hitter Jack Hurley singled, but Labrada threw out Walters at the plate for the first out of the game. With two outs in the inning, Castillo hit a routine ground ball to short and was ruled safe at first base, resulting in a run being scored. Castillo looked to be clearly out at first and that caused Ryan Scott to come out of the Sox dugout to have words with the base umpire Tim Barreras who ejected him from the game. Hillsboro took a 1-0 lead to the bottom of the inning.

Everett immediately answered as Victor Labrada sent a 2-0 pitch from Logan Clayton off the netting in deep right field for a leadoff solo home run in the bottom of the first that energized the near sellout crowd. Later in the frame, back-to-back doubles from RJ Schreck and Jared Sundstrom gave the AqusSox the lead. Sundstrom who was celebrating his 23^rd birthday hit is 19^th double of the year to give Everett the 2-1 lead. Clayton needed 30 pitches to get out of the first inning and ended the frame by striking out Caleb Cali.

Both starters settled down through the middle frames posting zeros on the scoreboard. After the long first inning Clayton settled into the game and recorded eight straight outs before a walk issued to Sundstrom in the fourth.

The Hops continued to have runners on the base paths, but couldn’t find the clutch hit. It was still 2-1 entering the seventh inning when Listher Sosa entered from the bullpen. He recorded two quick outs before walking the nine-hole hitter Gabriel Moncada. Victor Labrada then hit his second home run of the game, a two-out two-run shot that extended the lead to 4-1.

20-year-old Yordin Chalas made his Hillsboro and High-A debut in the eighth and it didn’t go as planned for the youngster. He allowed a walk and a single to the first two batters and then a three-run homer to Josh Hood that made it 7-1. The next batter Caleb Cali was 0-for-3 in the game with 3 strikeouts, but he would also go deep for back-to-back home runs to extend the lead to 8-1.

Neyfy Castillo hit a solo home run to the opposite field in the ninth, but the Hops would fall to Everett 8-2 in the fifth game of the series.

Labrada’s two-homer performance led the way for Everett, with Jared Sundstrom reaching base all four times on his 23^rd birthday. The Hops had four players with two-hit games (Walters, Castillo, Cerda and Fernandez) in the loss.

Hillsboro outhit Everett 11 to 8, but finished 1-for-15 with runners in scoring position. The one hit with runners in scoring position did not result in a run being scored.

Game six of the seven-game series will be tonight at Funko Field. First pitch is at 7:05 with the pregame show starting at 6:50 on Rip City Radio 620 AM.