Don’t look now, but the Hops are getting hot.
After a dismal start to the season’s second half, Hillsboro took five of six games with visiting Vancouver this past week and have won eight of their last 10.
Offensively, the Hops were led by Jose Fernandez (.444) and Manuel Pena (.375) who combined to go 14-for-34 in five games against the Canadians, and were two of four Hillsboro hitters to hit .333 or better versus the C’s.
The Hops again got outstanding starting pitching, with six different starters combining to allow 11 runs in 34 innings.
Despite their winning ways, Hillsboro gained just a game on first place Spokane over the past week and sit in third place, nine games back. The Indians won four-of-six games with Eugene this past week and have won seven of their last 10.
The Hops will have an opportunity to close the gap on the Indians this week, as they travel to Spokane for six games beginning July 30.
Organizational news and notes…Hops second baseman Jean Walters, along with shortstop Neyfy Castillo were promoted to Double-A Amarillo this past week. Castillo was 4-for-7 with two RBI in two games with the Sod Poodles…Top Diamondback prospects Tommy Troy and Gino Groover continue to struggle as they battle back from injury, with the two 2023 draft picks combining to go 5-for-38 at the plate this past week…Former Hop and West Linn High School alum Tim Tawa went 9-for-25 with four home runs and nine RBI in six games at Amarillo this past week…Former Hop Yu-Min Lin allowed just two hits in 6.1 shutout innings at Amarillo this past week…Starting pitcher Casey Anderson struck out seven in 5.2 innings pitched at Single-A Visalia this past week…Outfielder Angel Ortiz hit .313 with two triples and two doubles in five games at Visalia this past week.
Below is a recap of last week’s games:
July 23 — Hillsboro 4, Vancouver 2
The Hops may have only scored in a single inning, but they made the most of it in a 4-2 win in their series-opener with Vancouver on Tuesday night, July 23, at Hillsboro Ballpark.
Hillsboro parlayed a couple singles, a double, a triple and a Junior Franco sacrifice fly into four third-inning runs, then rode the arms of starting pitcher Logan Clayton, along with relievers Alec Baker and Yordin Chalas to a victory over visiting Vancouver.
Clayton threw six innings, allowing two earned runs on seven hits while striking out six.
Baker and Chalas were equally, if not more impressive, combining to allow just one hit in three shutout innings to close out the game.
Manuel Pena led the Hops with two hits, but Hillsboro got base knocks from all but two starters in the game.
Vancouver starter Pat Gallagher took the loss after getting roughed up for four runs in 2.2 innings, but the Canadians got 5.1 shutout innings from Alex Amalfi and Aaron Munson in relief.
Nick Goodwin led the C’s with two hits and an RBI, while centerfielder Dasan Brown homered leading off the game.
The win was the fourth in five games for the Hops who remain 10 games behind first place Spokane.
July 24 — Hillsboro 4, Vancouver 2
Déjà vu? Nope.
After defeating Vancouver in their series opener, 4-2, a day earlier, the Hops defeated the Canadians by the same score in Game 2 of their six-game series Wednesday night, July 24, at Hillsboro Ballpark.
Opposed to the night before where they took an early lead and kept it, on this night the Hops fell behind before scratching their way back for their second straight win, and fifth in their last six tries.
Hillsboro starting pitcher Joe Elbis allowed two first-inning runs, but settled in to allow just four hits over the subsequent five shutout innings before handing the game over to the bullpen.
After falling behind 2-0, the Hops managed runs in the third, fifth, seventh and eighth innings, led by Manuel Pena who finished 2-for-3 with a triple, RBI and run-scored.
Jack Hurley and Jose Fernandez also tallied two hits in the game, and left fielder Junior Franco notched two RBI despite not logging a base hit. Franco was responsible for the game-winning RBI when his seventh-inning groundout plated Christian Cerda.
Eli Saul earned the win for Hillsboro and was one of three relievers to allow two hits and not earned runs over the game’s final three innings.
Kai Peterson took the loss for Vancouver, allowing the game-winning run in the seventh.
July 25 — Hillsboro 13, Vancouver 4
Keep ‘em comin’.
The Hops’ hot streak continued with a 13-4 win over Vancouver on Thursday night, July 25, at Hillsboro Ballpark.
The win was the fourth straight for Hillsboro (11-16) and sixth in seven games, and in light of two straight Spokane losses, pulled the fifth place Hops within eight games of the first place Indians in the NWL second half standings.
The Hops wasted little time jumping on the visiting Canadians, scoring five runs in the first inning and three runs apiece in both the second and third innings, touching up Vancouver starter, Connor O'Halloran, for 11 earned runs in just two innings of work.
Hillsboro got home runs from both Gino Groover and Wilderd Patino, the first of the season for both.
Groover finished 2-for-3 with three RBI and three runs-scored, while Patino was 2-for-4 with three RBI and a run-scored.
Jose Fernandez also had two hits and three RBI for the Hops who tallied 10 hits overall and making the most of their scoring opportunities, going 6-for-10 with runners in scoring position. To the contrary, Vancouver was just 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position.
Dasan Brown hit his second home run of the series and eighth of the year for Vancouver.
Hillsboro starting pitcher Jose Cabrera allowed three earned runs on six hits in four innings.
Junior Cerda got the win for the Hops and combined with reliever Lither Sosa to allow two hits while striking out seven in four shutout innings of relief.
July 26 — Vancouver 2, Hillsboro 1
Despite allowing just three total hits, Hillsboro’s four-game winning streak came to an end in a 2-1 loss to Vancouver on Friday, July 26, at Hillsboro Ballpark.
The Canadians got the game-winning run as the result of a Zane Russell wild pitch with two outs in the eighth inning, then watched as the home Hops went quietly in their final two at-bats.
Both starting pitchers impressed, with Vancouver’s Kendry Rojas allowing one earned run on seven hits, while striking out seven. Avery Short was even better in his seven innings of work, allowing one earned run on just two hits, while striking out six.
Jose Fernandez had two hits to lead Hillsboro.
Three Canadian relievers combined to strike out five Hop hitters over the final three innings.
July 27 — Hillsboro 5, Vancouver 2
A day after watching their four-game winning streak come to an end by way of a heartbreaking one-run defeat, the Hops bounced back with a 5-2 win over Vancouver on Saturday night, July 27, at Hillsboro Ballpark.
Starting pitcher Roman Angelo earned the win for Hillsboro allowing two earned runs on just four hits, while striking out seven in 6.2 innings of work.
After falling behind 1-0 in the game’s second inning, the Hops got two runs in the fourth inning, two more in the sixth, and a final run in the seventh to secure their seventh win in their last nine games.
Junior Franco and Jose Fernandez had two hits apiece for Hillsboro, while Fernandez, Jack Hurley, Gavin Conticello and Christian Cerda all drove in runs.
Vancouver starter Rafael Sanchez took the loss despite allowing just one earned run on six hits over six innings pitched.
Hillsboro relievers Armando Vasquez and Yordin Chalas held the C’s down over the game’s final 2.1 innings, allowing two hits while striking out four and walking none.
July 28—Hillsboro 2, Vancouver 1
Two days removed from a heartbreaking one-run defeat, it was Hillsboro’s turn to do the heartbreaking, defeating Vancouver 2-1 in their series finale on Sunday afternoon, July 28, at Hillsboro Ballpark.
The win was the fifth in six games against the visiting Canadians and pulled the Hops into a tie for third place in the NWL, nine games behind red-hot Spokane.
Vancouver took a 1-0 lead in the third inning on a Jace Bohrofen RBI-single, but couldn’t hang on to the slim margin as Hillsboro tied the game in the seventh inning before scoring the game-winning run an inning later on a bases loaded hit-by-pitch.
Jacob Steinmetz started the game for the Hops and allowed one earned run in 4.1 innings, then turned it over to a Hillsboro bullpen that allowed just a single hit while striking out five over the game’s final 4.2 innings.
The Hops managed just two hits in the game, the second of which was a Gino Groover double that setup the game-winning score.
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