Pair of Clutch Two-Out Hits for Hops in 6-4 Victory
Hillsboro, OR (September 3, 2022) – Both teams hit poorly with runners in scoring position on Saturday, with the Hops going 2-for-16 and Dust Devils 1-for-12, but Cam Coursey had the biggest hit of the game with two runners in scoring position, clearing the bases with a go-ahead double in
Hillsboro, OR (September 3, 2022) – Both teams hit poorly with runners in scoring position on Saturday, with the Hops going 2-for-16 and Dust Devils 1-for-12, but Cam Coursey had the biggest hit of the game with two runners in scoring position, clearing the bases with a go-ahead double in the eighth. Deyvison De Los Santos drove in his 100th RBI of the season, in the 6-4 Hops’ win.
For the third consecutive game both teams scored in the first inning, with the Hops scoring in the first for the fourth straight. Both leadoff hitters, Kasser and Coursey, walked and scored in the first. Deyvison De Los Santos scored Coursey on a ground out, his 100th RBI of the season. It was 1-1 after one.
Channy Ortiz extended his hit-streak to seven-games with a base hit in the second, including loading the bases with none out, but the Hops didn’t score in the inning.
The Hops did score in the third, doing so without recording a base hit, as Roberts reached on an error and scored on a sac fly.
Tr-City responded with two runs of their own in the bottom half on a fielder’s choice and wild pitch, making it 3-2. Of the first five runs scored in the game, none were on a base hit.
Yilber Diaz pitched 3.1 innings and was followed by Dillon Larsen out of the bullpen. Larsen had 2.2 scoreless innings, keeping the Hops within striking distance.
Cam Coursey had the fourth leadoff walk of the game for Hillsboro in the seventh and advanced to third with two outs. Adrian Del Castillo had a clutch two-out hit on the first pitch he saw from Mason Albright, tying the game at three.
Tri-City had a leadoff walk of their own by Dylan Phillips in the eighth and he would advance two more bases on a wild pitch. They scored another run without recording a hit, as Phillips scored on a ground out by Steven Rivas.
Hillsboro had runners at second and third with two outs, when Cam Coursey once again had a two-out RBI hit for the Hops’, scoring two on a double. Coursey later scored his third run of the game on a wild pitch, the fourth ball of the game that went to the backstop off the hand of a Tri-City pitcher. Hillsboro took a 6-4 lead.
Christian Montes De Oca came on to close the door in the ninth, his second save of the series and eighth in eight tries for Hillsboro.
Both pitching staffs walked eight in the game, with the Hops stranding 10 on base and Tri-City stranding nine. D’Shawn Knowles and Caleb Roberts were the only players in the game with two hits.
Hillsboro (56-67) and Tri-City (53-69) will play the series finale tomorrow at Ron Tonkin Field. First pitch is at 1:05 with the pre-game show starting at 12:50 on Rip City Radio 620 and MiLB.tv.