Hurley Heroics Lead Hops to Extra-Inning Win

Hillsboro, OR (June 14, 2024) – For the fourth consecutive week, the Hops entered a Thursday game with a 2-0 series lead. They would continue that early-week success at Hillsboro Ballpark by taking their third straight game over the Tri-City Dust Devils in a dramatic come from behind 5-4 victory in extra innings. Jack Hurley sent the home crowd home happy with a walk-off single in the 10^th, after Gavin Conticello tied the game with two outs in the ninth.

The Hops got out to an early lead on Thursday afternoon against Dust Devils’ starter Joel Hurtado. They wasted no time in the first inning scoring a run after Jack Hurley’s leadoff single and Andrew Pintar’s team-leading 13^th double of the season. With Pintar at third and two outs in the inning Neyfy Castillo dropped a surprise bunt down the third base line that caused an errant throw from Hurtado, allowing Pintar to score and give the Hops a 2-0 lead. Tri-City would escape the inning without further damage.

Hillsboro came right back and loaded the bases in the second inning after singles by Gavin Logan and Juan Corniel and a walk by Hurley, but could only get one run across on a RBI groundout by David Martin.

They took a 3-0 lead to the top of the third inning when Caleb Ketchup hit a deep home run to left field against Avery Short, cutting the defect to just one run. The two-run shot scored Jorge Ruiz and marked Ketchup’s fourth homer of 2024 and his first outside of Gesa Stadium. Through three innings the two worst hitting teams in the Northwest League had combined for five runs and nine hits.

Ketchup continued his success against the Hops’ left-hander in the fifth inning with another RBI hit, this time, a single that tied the game at three. Jadiel Sanchez then hit a bloop double down the right field line that scored Ketchup after he stole second base. Sanchez’s second double of the game gave Tri-City a 4-3 lead.

The score remained 4-3 entering the ninth inning when 2022 Diamondbacks 1^st round draft selection Landon Sims made his Hillsboro debut. Sims pitched a scoreless inning and kept the Hops’ deficit at one heading to the bottom of the inning.

Hard throwing right-hander Camden Minacci came on in the ninth for the Dust Devils looking to extend his NWL saves lead, but Hillsboro had other plans. After striking out the first two batters of the inning (Hurley and Walters) with high-heat, Minacci faced some hot water. He walked Andrew Pintar, sending Gavin Conticello to the dish with two outs. Conticello roped a double down the right field line on the first pitch he saw, allowing the speedy Pintar to score from first base and tie the game. The next batter Neyfy Castillo walked, but Kevin Sim struck out and left the winning run 90-feet away.

Alfred Morillo came on in the tenth inning and inherited the ghost runner at second base. You could not draw up the next two at bats any better, as Kevin Sim fielded a bunt from Kevin and thew out Matt Coutney trying to advance to third. Then, the next batter Ronaldo Flores grounded into an inning-ending double play.

Just like the ninth inning Minacci struck out the first two batters he faced and then walked the third batter, sending Jack Hurley to the plate with two on and two out. Hurley lined the first pitch he saw into right field for a game-winning RBI single. After a frustrating first at-bat against Minacci, Hurley came through clutch with the Hops first hit of the game with runners in scoring position. Before his hit, they were 0-13 with RISP.

Conticello, Hurley and Pintar each had two-hit games for the Hops with Morillo recording the win out of the bullpen.

Hillsboro and Tri-City will play game four of the series tomorrow at Hillsboro Ballpark, with first pitch at 7:05 and the pregame show starting at 6:50 on Bally Live and Rip City Radio 620.