Hillsboro Gives Up Seven Runs in One Inning

Pitching woes were to blame for the Hop's 10-2 loss to Eugene. The Saturday night game at Hillsboro ballpark turned into a disaster after a seven-run fourth inning for the Emeralds. The Hillsboro pitching staff walked seven batters. Ricardo Yan was the starter for the Hops and Seth Lonsway for the Emeralds.

In the bottom of the second, Andrew Pintar came up to bat with the bases loaded, driving in a run with a single to left field. With only one out and the bases still loaded, two Hops’ batters struck out, ending the inning and leaving three on base.

Yan allowed back-to-back doubles, getting the Emeralds on the board and tying the game 1-1. After giving up three consecutive hits and two straight walks, Yan was done for the night. In three innings Yan walked five batters, struck out two, and gave up two earned runs.

Alec Baker came in with the bases loaded and gave up a single up the middle and two more runs scored, both charged to Yan. Baker struck a batter out and got one to fly out to center field, but with two runners still on, both scored after the third double of the inning was hit. A failed pickoff attempt from Baker ended up as throwing error, allowing the baserunner to get to third. Baker gave up a walk putting a runner on first. With runners at the corner, Baker was charged with a wild pitch and another run scored, putting Eugene up 7-1 before the inning ended.

Lonsway pitched four innings, striking out three, allowing one earned run and walking two. Julio Rodriguez took over for the Emeralds on the mound in the top of the fifth.

Junior Cerda came in for Alec Baker in the sixth. Baker struck out four in two innings and gave up one earned run.

In the seventh Cerda gave up a walk and three two-out hits, allowing Eugene to score three runs, extending their lead 10-1. Reliever Carlos Meza came into the game after Cerda could not get the third out. Cerda gave up four hits and three runs in one-and-two-thirds innings.

Nick Morreale came in to pitch in the bottom of the seventh, getting three straight Hops’ batters out. Jose Fernandez hit a two-out RBI single in the eighth off Morreale, scoring Hilsboro’s second run of the game.

Peniel Otano was the closer for the Hops, striking out two and getting the third to line out. Kyle Cody came in for Eugene in the bottom of the ninth getting three straight Hops’ batters out, securing the 10-2 Emeralds’ win.

The Hops had seven hits in the matchup and only scored two runs. They left ten runners on base, going two-for-11 with runners in scoring position. Hillsboro's pitching staff gave up nine earned runs.

The last game of the series will take place at 1:05 pm on Sunday at Hillsboro Ballpark. The pregame show will start at 12:50 on Rip City Radio 620 AM.