Diamondbacks' Kelly highlights Hops 7-3 win over Everett

Merrill Kelly started the game, but it was the Hops bullpen that finished and ultimately won their game with Everett, 7-3, in their series opener on Tuesday, Aug. 6, at Hillsboro Ballpark.

Kelly, who was making a rehab start after returning from the Diamondbacks’ 60-day injured list, allowed three earned runs on six hits over four innings. Hillsboro’s bullpen, however, was nails, allowing no hits while striking out six and walking one over five shutout innings.

Listher Sosa did the bulk of the work, throwing three innings and earning the win in relief of Kelly and striking out three, in three hitless and shutout innings.

The AquaSox scored a first-inning run and went ahead 3-1 in the top half of the third, but watched the Hops match their two third-inning runs, then score two more in the fifth and one apiece in both the sixth and seventh innings en route to the win.

Gino Groover homered twice for Hillsboro and finished 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs-scored.

Christian Cerda also homered and was 2-for-4, joining Groover, Gavin Conticello, Juan Franco and Jackson Feltner with multiple hits in the game.

Feltner was playing his first game for the Hops after being called up from Single-A Visalia, and finished 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run-scored.

The two teams will meet again at 7:05 p.m. tonight at Hillsboro Ballpark.