Hops drop four-of-six games in Tri-City

In a season seemingly defined by one-run games and on the heels of two one-run wins versus Spokane a week prior, the Hillsboro Hops were done in by such in last week’s road series with Tri-City.

After splitting the first two of the Hops and Indians’ six-game set, Hillsboro lost consecutive one-run games to the home Dust Devils, then closed the series with a third one-run loss in four games to ultimately lose four of the series’ six games.

Sunday’s narrow defeat was the 16th game this season decided by a single run, of which the Hops have won eight.

At series end, Hillsboro’s season record stands at 18-20, which puts them in third place in the Northwest League Standings.

The Hops outhit the Devils 51-39 in the series and again looked dominant on the pitcher’s mound, with Hillsboro pitchers tallying a 3.02 ERA and holding Tri-City hitters to just a .214 batting average.

Three Hops starters — Spencer Giesting, Logan Clayton and Joe Elbis — held the Dust Devils scoreless over a combined 18 innings, while striking out 22 and walking just four.

Clayton made his first start in a Hillsboro uniform on Sunday in the series finale after joining the team from Double-A Amarillo, and allowed just a single hit while striking out eight in 5.1 innings of work.

At the plate, outfielder Andrew Pintar hit .360 with nine hits, two home runs and nine RBI in six games. The 23-year-old is hitting .326 over his last 15 days and .318 over the last month.

Jack Hurley tallied eight hits and a home run.

And Juan Corniel batted .353 over five games against the Devils.

Organizational news and notes…Hops righthanded pitcher Billy Corcoran was promoted to Double-A Amarillo on May 14 and was touched up for six earned runs in his first appearance with the Sod Poodles…Deyvison De Los Santos batted .450 with three home runs and 11 RBI over the last six games with Amarillo and is now batting .372 with 14 home runs and 37 RBI over the season’s 38 games this season…Ivan Melendez too tore the cover off the ball in Amarillo last week, going 7-for-20 with three home runs in six games…Corbin Carroll’s slow second season continued last week, with the reigning National League Rookie of the Year going just 2-for-16 in five games, dropping his season batting average to .191.

The Hops return home to Hillsboro this week to host Vancouver for six games, and will be home for three of the next four weeks.