Historic 12-Run Inning for Hillsboro in 17-4 Rout of Tri-City

*Photo credit to Hops' pitcher Spencer Giesting*

Hillsboro, OR (June 16, 2024) – It was a historic Father’s Day at Hillsboro Ballpark on Sunday as the Hops set multiple franchise-record marks in their 17-4 rout of the Tri-City Dust Devils. In the final game of the series, Hillsboro scored 17 runs on 17 hits, including a 12-run fourth inning that tied a franchise mark for most runs ever scored in an inning. Neyfy Castillo had a career day as he went 4-for-5 with five runs scored (tying a Hops’ record, Pavin Smith) and finished a double shy of the cycle, with Gavin Conticello adding four hits and four RBI as Hillsboro took 5-of-6 from Tri-City.

Joe Elbis and Chris Clark faced off on the bump for the second time this week. Castillo picked up his first of four hits in the game in the first inning, a two-out triple and then scored his first of five runs in the game on a Conticello RBI single that gave Hillsboro an early lead. The one run is all Hillsboro got in the first.

The former University of Portland star Chad Stevens tied the game in the second inning with a solo home run, his first of the campaign.

The score remained 1-1 entering the fourth inning where the Hops put together one of their greatest single innings in franchise history. They would send 18 batters to the plate (franchise record), record nine base hits (franchise record), have 18 players reach base (franchise record) and score 12 runs in the frame (tying franchise record). Clark threw just 13 pitches in the inning and was chased from the game after Hillsboro had six consecutive hits. The big hit in the frame came off the bat of Brett Johnson, clearing the bases on a three-RBI triple. The Hops batted around twice in the inning and sent the second most players to the plate of any game in Professional baseball this season (including MLB). The other time Hillsboro scored 12-runs in an inning? Exactly 6 years ago to the date June 16, 2018 vs. Everett. Hillsboro took a 13-1 lead to the fifth inning.

Cam Williams brought the Dust Devils a little closer with a two-run shot in the fifth, but that would be the last runs Tri-City got off Joe Elbis. Elbis recorded his fifth win of the season in six innings of work, making him 5-1 with a 1.83 ERA on the season. Castillo matched the home run by Williams for the Hops with one of his own in the bottom of the frame, making it 14-3.

The previous record for runs in a game at home for Hillsboro was 15 back in 2017 against Spokane. Hillsboro broke that record on Sunday when Wyatt Crenshaw scored on a Christian Cerda groundout in the seventh. Neyfy Castillo later added the 17^th run of the game when he scored on a balk, marking his fifth run scored of the game. That matches Pavin Smith’s franchise record for runs scored in a game.

Coming to the plate already 4-for-4 in the game, Neyfy Castillo had a chance to hit for the cycle in the eighth, but popped out to end the frame.

The Hops finished the game 10-for-15 with runners in scoring position.

Landon Sims made his second appearance as a Hop and was dominant. The former first round pick struck out the side in the ninth on just 10 pitches.

Hillsboro took 5-of-6 from Tri-City and will now hit the road for two weeks against Everett and Vancouver. Game one of a seven-game series will be on Tuesday at Funko Field in Everett with the pregame show starting at 6:50 on Rip City Radio 620 with Rich Burk.