Hops Hand Sox Their First Loss of the Season, 4-3
Hillsboro, Oregon – Cam Coursey's walk off RBI double in the bottom of the ninth inning gave the Hillsboro Hops (1-3) a 4-3 victory over the Everett Aqua Sox (2-1) in the six-game series opener. The Aqua Sox grabbed the early 1-0 lead when Dariel Gomez hit his first home
Hillsboro, Oregon – Cam Coursey's walk off RBI double in the bottom of the ninth inning gave the Hillsboro Hops (1-3) a 4-3 victory over the Everett Aqua Sox (2-1) in the six-game series opener.
The Aqua Sox grabbed the early 1-0 lead when Dariel Gomez hit his first home run of the season, a solo home run over the right field fence in the second inning. Everett added two more runs when Tyler Keenan drove in Andy Thomas and Spencer Packard on a two-out double to increase their lead to 3-0 in the top of the third inning.
Gomez went three for four with a home run and a double. Keenan was two for four with a walk and 2 RBI. The AquaSox twelve hits were a season high.
The Hops got on the board in the Bottom of the third inning when Caleb Roberts scored on a Jorge Barrosa ground out to cut the AquaSox lead to 3-1. Hillsboro tied the game with two more runs in the fourth inning, starting with an Adrian Del Castillo solo home run followed by Tim Tawa scoring the tying run on a throwing error.
The game remained tied 3-3 until the ninth inning as both team's bullpens were outstanding. Robert Winslow and Kyle Hill each pitched two shutout innings; Winslow allowed two hits and struck out five batters, Hill allowed one hit on four strikeouts.
The Hops bullpen consisted of five pitchers: Andrew Saalfrank, Collin Sullivan, Liu Fuenmayor, Bobby Ay and Jake Rice, who combined to throw 5.1 shutout innings, allowing five hits, two walks and seven strikeouts.
Roberts led off the bottom of the ninth inning and reached base after getting hit by a Jarod Bayless full count pitch. Roberts then stole second base and scored the winning run when Coursey lined a double over the head of Alberto Rodriguez in right field.
Packard, Noelvi Marte and James Parker each have started the season with a three-game hitting streak. Thomas threw out two Hops base runners in the first two innings attempting to seal.
Starting pitcher Jimmy Joyce (pictured above) allowed one earned run in four innings pitched. Aquasox starters: Isaiah Campbell, Adam Macko and Joyce have a combined 3.21 ERA through the first three games.
LOOKING AHEAD
Game two of the six game series is scheduled for Wednesday April 13 at 6:35 p.m. RHP Tim Elliott will make his 2022 debut for the AquaSox and RHP John Carver will do the same for Hillsboro. Listen to all of the action on 1380 KRKO with the pre-game show starting at 6:20 p.m.
Photo credit:@jeffplaysball