4-3 Final Haunts AquaSox Again

April 12, 2023 (Hillsboro, OR) – The Hops walked nine times for the second game in a row, en route to a 4-3 win over Everett on Wednesday. Shane Muntz had two more hits and Avery Short was brilliant in his first start of the season. Hillsboro recorded just three hits on Tuesday and four hits on Wednesday, but won both games. Kevin Graham's infield single walked it off for the Hops in extras on a close play at first base. Everett has now played four games this season, with all four resulting in a 4-3 final score.

Hillsboro got on the board first in game number two of the series, as Shane Muntz continued his blazing hot hitting. Muntz singled home his league-leading seventh RBI of the season to give the Hops’ a 1-0 lead.

The Hops got a great outing from Avery Short in his 2023 season debut. Short pitched 4.2 innings while allowing just four hits and no earned runs. Raul Alcantara struck out eight for Everett in four innings of work and allowed just one earned run.

There were zeros across the board through the fourth inning of play, before the Hops tacked onto their lead in the fifth. J.J. D’Orazio had a sacrifice fly that scored a run and Jacen Roberson had an RBI walk with the bases loaded, making it 3-0.

A stellar defensive relay by Hillsboro saved a run in the fifth on a ball that was hit to the gap off the bat of Charlie Welch. The combination of Roberson, Ortiz and D’Orazio cut-off Axel Sanchez at the plate.

Last season’s Northwest League hit leader and Mariners’ top 30 prospect, Alberto Rodriguez, brought his team within one on a two-RBI double in the sixth.

A Conor Grammes wild pitch tied the game at 3-3 in the eighth inning and a clean ninth for both sides sent the game to extra-innings.

The duo of Levi Kelly and Zach Barnes kept the AquaSox off the scoreboard in the tenth, including a called strike three to end the inning with runners on second and third.

Jacen Roberson executed a perfect sacrifice bunt in the tenth to move Chen to third with just one out. Jesus Valdez pinch hit for Ortiz, but swung at the first pitch and popped up to the first baseman in foul territory. With two-outs, Kevin Graham rolled over to Locklear at first, but the relay to Benitez covering the base was not in time. The infield single by Graham gave Hillsboro their fourth win in a row.

Game three of the series between Hillsboro (4-1) and Everett (1-3) is tomorrow night at Ron Tonkin Field. First pitch at 6:35, with the pregame show starting at 6:20 on 620 Rip City Radio and MiLB.tv.