Hops Lose at Tri-City, Elimination Number Falls to One

PASCO, WASH. (Sept. 4, 2024) --- Hillsboro wasted several early opportunities on Wednesday night at Gesa Stadium, including leaving the bases loaded in the second and fourth innings, en route to a 5-2 loss to the Tri-City Dust Devils. Vancouver lost 10-7 at home to Eugene, delaying the Canadians’ playoff-berth celebration by at least one day. The Hops are four games behind Vancouver with four games remaining (Hillsboro holds the tiebreaker), meaning their elimination number is down to one—any Hops loss or Vancouver win over the season’s final four days, and Vancouver grabs the league’s second-half playoff spot.

Hillsboro had two runners thrown out at the plate in the first three innings, and they trailed 2-0 going to the top of the fourth. Kevin Sim singled, and with one out Juan Corniel singled and Gavin Logan walked to load the bases. After Tommy Troy lined out softly to second base, Manny Pena walked to force home a run and Gavin Conticello singled to bring home another and tie the game, 2-2. Jose Fernandez, however, flew out to center field to end the inning. In the first four innings, the Hops left eight on base, six in scoring position.

Tri-City regained the lead in the bottom of the fourth when the top hitter in the order, Caleb Ketchup, tripled with two out, and Adrian Placencia followed with an infield single to bring Ketchup home. They added two more in the fifth on a booming double by first baseman Sonny DiChiara, a wild pitch, and Juan Flores’ second sacrifice fly of the game; and later in the inning a single by Werner Blakely and a pop double to center by Mac McCroskey, scoring Blakely from first.

Hops starter Logan Clayton allowed all five runs (all earned) on 10 hits over 4.2 innings. Dust Devils starter Keythel Key worked five innings, allowing six hits and two runs, while walking five and striking out seven. He earned his first win at the High-A level.

For the second straight night, the Hops couldn’t get anything across against the Dust Devils’ bullpen. Pena hit his second double of the game leading off the seventh inning, but he was left at third base as right-hander Jake Smith retired the next three batters. And Sim and Corniel again both singled in the eighth, but lefty Dylan Phillips struck out both Gavin Logan and Tommy Troy to end the threat. Phillips then worked a 1-2-3 ninth to earn his first save.

DiChiara was 3-for-3 with a double to lead Tri-City’s 11-hit attack. Corniel had three hits for the Hops, with two apiece by Pena, Conticello and Sim, accounting for the Hops’ nine hits.

Hillsboro went 2-for-14 with runners in scoring position.

The Hops are 31-31 in the second half, and 66-61 overall. Tri-City is 26-36 in the second half, 52-75 overall.

The third game of the six-game series is Thursday at 6:35PM, with the radio pregame show beginning at 6:20PM on Rip City Radio 620AM and www.RipCity.Radio.com.