Fourth inning fireworks lead Hops to 11-6 win over Emeralds

Fans in Eugene didn’t have to wait until after the game for their Fourth of July fireworks, for the Hops provided plenty of them in the fourth inning.

Trailing 6-1, Hillsboro scored 10 runs in the top half of the fourth, helping lead the visiting Hops to an 11-6 win on Thursday, July 4, at PK Park in Eugene.

In a game that was set up to be a pitcher’s duel between the Hops’ Joe Elbis and Ems starter Jack Choate who entered the game with the Northwest League’s lowest opponent’s batting average, neither had their best in what turned into an Independence Day hit parade.

Elbis allowed six earned runs in five innings on the mound, while Choate lasted just three innings, allowing seven earned runs on seven hits.

Hillsboro’s explosive fourth inning started with a Christian Cerda leadoff home run and ended with five singles, four weeks, a sacrifice fly and two Eugene errors.

Jack Hurley led the way for the Hops, finishing 3-for-5 with two RBI and a run-scored, while Jose Fernandez tallied two hits, and Cerda notched three RBI and two runs-scored to go with his round tripper.

Hillsboro ended up outhitting Eugene 11-10 overall.

Despite a subpar performance, Elbis ended up getting the win for the Hops, while the Ems’ Cody Tucker got the loss.

The two teams will play again tonight at 6:35 p.m. at PK Park.