A tough weak early got much better late, as the Hops managed consecutive wins over the weekend to earn a split with rival Eugene.
Righthanded pitcher Manuel Cabrera had a lot to say in two of the visiting Hops’ wins, starting both the first and last games of the series, combining to allow just four hits and no earned runs, while striking out 15 in 12.1 innings of work.
Cabrera has allowed just 13 earned runs in 44.1 innings since joining Hillsboro in late June.
Tommy Troy led the Hops at the plate, continuing his resurgence from injury, going 8-for-22 with two home runs in six games against the Ems.
As a whole, Hillsboro batted .230 in Eugene, but remained competitive thanks to a 3.71 team ERA, including 63 strikeouts to just 15 walks.
With their three wins combined with four Spokane losses, the Hops closed to within seven games of the first place Indians with 18 games remaining.
Hillsboro will host six games with Spokane Aug. 20-25, at Hillsboro Ballpark.
Organizational news and notes…Tristan English batted .464 with two home runs, three doubles, eight RBI in six games in Reno last week. Reno batted .332 with 11 home runs as a team over the last seven days…Former Hop Billy Corcoran started two games and allowed three combined earned runs over 10 innings at Double-A Amarillo…Outfielder Angel Ortiz batted .368 with six RBI in five games at Single-A Visalia last week…Visalia pitcher Casey Anderson struck out 10 in five innings in a start last week…Former Hop Jake McCarthy batted .368, while his former Hop teammate Corbin Carroll batted .278 with two home runs with the Diamondbacks last week…Former Oregon Duck pitcher Ryne Nelson stayed hot, allowing one earned run on five hits, while striking out six and walking none in a 6.1 inning outing with Arizona.
Here are recaps from last week’s Hops games:
Aug. 13—Hillsboro 7, Eugene 1
If the Emeralds were looking for a win in their series opener with Hillsboro, they chose the wrong night and the wrong pitcher in which to get it.
Jose Cabrera was nearly perfect over his seven innings pitched, allowing just one hit while striking out nine in a 7-1 Hops win over the Ems on Tuesday night, Aug. 13, at PK Park in Eugene.
It was the third straight dominant performance for the righthander who’s allowed two earned runs and a total of nine hits over his last 20 innings.
Offensively, Hillsboro scored three runs in the fourth inning, one in the fifth, two in the sixth, and a final run on a Jack Hurley single in the ninth.
The Hops were led by Hurley, Gino Groover and Tommy Troy who had two hits apiece, with Troy and Christian Cerda hitting home runs.
Troy and Junior Franco also each tallied two stolen bases.
In all, Hillsboro had 10 hits to Eugene’s two.
The Emeralds’ only run came on a Bryce Eldridge solo home run off of Hayden Durke in the ninth inning.
With the win coupled with a Spokane loss, the Hops pulled within seven games of first place in the NWL standings.
Aug. 14 — Eugene 5, Hillsboro 1
Four hits won’t get you much, but it did get the Hops a 5-1 loss to the Emeralds on Wednesday night, Aug. 14, at PK Park in Eugene.
The Ems got a home run, two hits and three RBI from Charlie Szykowny, then let starting pitcher Esmerlin Vinicio and the Eugene bullpen do the rest en route to a dominant four-run win.
Vinicio allowed one earned run on two hits in five innings of work, then turned the game over to relievers Trent Harris, Matt Mikulski and Hunter Dula who combined to allow two hits over the game’s final four innings.
Eugene got a run in the second inning, then, after Hillsboro tied the game 1-1 in the top of the third on a Jose Fernandez home run, the home Ems scored three runs in the bottom half of that same inning, all on a Szykowny long-ball to right field.
Eugene tacked a final run on in the seventh thanks to a Jonah Cox solo homer.
Hillsboro starting pitcher Avery Short struggled, allowing four earned runs on six hits over five innings.
The 23-year-old lefthander has allowed 12 earned runs over his last 13.1 innings.
The loss coupled with a Spokane win dropped the Hops eight games behind the first-place Indians.
Aug. 15 — Eugene 10, Hillsboro 0
A day removed from a tough night at the plate, it was more of the same for the Hops in a 10-0 loss to the Emeralds on Thursday night, Aug. 15, at PK Park in Eugene.
For the second consecutive game Hillsboro managed just four hits, and on this night managed no runs against a stable of Eugene pitchers who combined to strike out eight Hops batters.
The Ems opened the scoring with a Charlie Szykowny RBI-single in the second inning, then got two more runs in the fourth, two more after that in the seventh, then closed with five runs in the eighth, highlighted by a Bryce Eldridge two-run homer.
Eldridge was one of three Eugene players with two hits in the game, and finished 2-for-5 with two home runs, four RBI and two runs-scored.
Quinn McDaniel also went yard for the Ems, while left fielder Scott Bandura added three RBI.
Manuel Pena, Gavin Conticello, Tommy Troy and Juan Corniel had hits for Hillsboro.
Alec Baker started the game on the mound for the Hops and allowed one run on three hits over three innings, taking the loss.
Hillsboro used five pitchers over the game’s last six innings, together combining to allow nine earned runs while walking five.
Aug. 16—Eugene 3, Hillsboro 2
Third time wasn’t a charm for the Hops who despite an outstanding performance from starting pitcher Jacob Steinmetz, fell to the Emeralds 3-2 on Friday night, Aug. 16, at PK Park in Eugene.
The loss was the third straight for Hillsboro and left them nine games behind first place Spokane in the NWL standings.
Steinmetz dazzled over six shutout innings, allowing just three hits while striking out 10 and walking one. Eugene, however, got to reliever Zane Russell in the seventh, tallying all three of their runs, highlighted by a Jonah Cox two-RBI triple to right field.
Cox finished 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run-scored.
The Hops were led offensively by Gavin Conticello who had three hits, along with Tommy Troy who notched two, and Junior Franco who accounted for both of his team’s runs with a second inning two-run homer.
The Ems got a solid start from Dylan Carmouche who allowed two earned runs over five innings, but owed the bulk of their pitching success to relievers Austin Strickland, Tyler Vogel and Hunter Dula who combined to allow three hits over four shutout innings.
Aug. 17—Hillsboro 4, Eugene 2
Streaks over.
After three consecutive losses, the Hops got right with a 4-2 win over the Emeralds on Saturday night, Aug. 17, at PK Park in Eugene.
Tommy Troy hit his fourth home run of the season, Gino Groover and Jack Hurley each tallied two hits, and Logan Clayton struck out seven in a much needed Hillsboro win.
Clayton allowed two earned runs and earned the win over five innings, then handed it off to relievers Landon Sims, Listher Sosa and Alfred Morillo who combined to allow just two hits over four shutout innings.
The Hops broke open a 1-1 tie with two runs in the fourth, the last of which came on a Christian Cerda steal of home.
Joe Whitman took the loss for Eugene, allowing three earned runs over 4.2 innings.
The Hops pulled back within eight games of first place Spokane with their win, coupled with an Indians loss.
Aug. 18 — Hillsboro 5, Eugene 1
Jose Cabrera is hot, and the Hops used that heat, along with a late comeback to defeat the Emeralds 5-1 on Sunday, Aug. 18, in the two teams’ series finale at PK Park in Eugene.
With the win, Hillsboro managed a series spit with the rival Ems.
Cabrera allowed just three hits while striking out six over 5.1 shutout innings. Over the 22-year-olds two starts in the series, he allowed no earned runs and just four hits, while striking out 15 in 12.1 combined innings.
Eugene starter Manuel Mercedes too was good, holding the visiting Hops to just a single run over his four innings on the mound, but watched as the Ems’ bullpen relinquished three runs in the seventh inning and another in the eighth.
Hillsboro’s Manuel Pena had three hits in the game, while first baseman Jose Fernandez finished 2-for-3 with a home run, two RBI and a run-scored, including driving in the game-winning run with his seventh inning round-tripper.
In all, Hillsboro outhit Eugene 10-4.
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