Sparks Fly in Hops 10-8 Win

Hillsboro, Oregon- The Hillsboro Hops hosted the Tri-City Dust Devils on Sunday afternoon for the final matchup of the series. While the fans were busy making friendship bracelets at Hillsboro Ballpark, the Dust Devils and Hops went back and forth with four different lead changes. The cruel summer heat was no sweat for the Hops as they won the game in style, racking up 13 hits in the 10-8 win. Manuel Peña and Jack Hurley both collected four hits each.

For the first time in the series, the Hops scored first, recording three runs on three hits in the first inning.

Chad Stevens hit his second long ball of the series in the second inning. After loading the bases with two outs, Hops’ starter Jose Cabrera got out of the jam with minimal damage, but not before letting the Dust Devils score another run, making it a 3-2 game.

Manuel Peña hit a single in the third, getting driven in by a triple from Jack Hurley to put the Hops up 4-2.

For his second RBI of the game, Chad Stevens hit a double, allowing the runner on second to score after Tommy Troy’s second error of the game. Troy’s first error came in the second inning. Caleb Ketchup hit a sacrifice fly to drive Stevens in and tie the game at 4-4 in the third inning.

Dust Devil starter Ryan Langford pitched two innings giving up five hits and four earned runs. His day was over in the bottom of the third and Jake Smith came into the game to replace him.

Jack Hurley and Manuel Peña recorded their third hits of the game in the fourth, driving in a run-a-piece to put the Hops up 6-4.

Cabrera gave up back-to-back hits, giving Tri-City the opportunity to score a run before Eli Saul took over. Cabrera went five innings, allowing eight hits and four earned runs. With a runner on second, Saul gave up a triple, allowing the runner to score and tie the game at 6-6. Saul stranded two runners in scoring position to end the inning.

For Tri-City Jake Smith went three innings and gave up two earned runs. Carlos Espinosa entered the game with a tied score.

Yordin Chalas entered the game in the top of the seventh for Hillsboro. Four batters reached base, one scoring to put the Dust Devils up 7-6 before Chalas got pulled from the game with the bases loaded. Carlos Meza came onto the mound with the bases loaded, leaving all three runners stranded.

After stealing second Jean Walters exited the game with an apparent injury. Jose Fernandez entered the game as his replacement. Peña singled to put runners at the corner and Hurley drove a run in to tie the game yet again at 7-7. Conticello drove in Peña to give the Hops a one-run lead. Junior Franco hit a two-out single driving in two more runs giving the Hops a 10-7 lead.

Meza pitched one inning allowing no runs. Landon Sims entered the game with one out in the top half of the eighth. After recording two outs and allowing two runners on, Alfred Morillo was called into the game. Morillo walked a batter before getting the final out of the inning. Morillo gave up a one-run homer in the ninth but recorded the save. The Hops were the lucky ones in the 10-8 win over the Dust Devils.

Hillsboro enters the All-Star break with a 6-15 record in the second half of the season. The Hops lost four of the six games in the series. The next game for Hillsboro will be played in Everett on Friday the 19th at 7:05 pm. The pregame show will start at 6:50 pm on Rip City Radio 620 AM.