Hops Hammer Frogs for Third Straight W
July 6, 2015 - Northwest League (NWL1)
Hillsboro Hops News Release
If there were any hangover from the Hillsboro Hops July 4th marathon day, it was limited to the leather.
Hillsboro (10-8) mitigated a season-high-tying five errors Sunday by bashing out a season-high 17 hits and ran away from the Everett Aquasox eight unanswered runs in an 11-4 at Memorial Stadium.
The win was Hillsboro's third straight and the third straight defeat for the Aquasox (11-7) , who maintain their slim lead over Hillsboro and Eugene for the best record in the Northwest League by a game despite suffering their fourth loss in the last five games.
An off-kilter game to be sure, coming the afternoon following a very late night and a very long day for Hillsboro after the Hops spent almost an entire working day (9 to 5) on the bus due to a freeway closure on I-5 Saturday morning. The teams played nearly four hours Saturday night and the departure of the bus was slowed by a sellout crowd that stuck around for a fireworks show. Both teams looked a little wonky early with dropped fly balls in the outfield leading to runs.
Then, after both managers had heated arguments on disputed calls in the first inning, the home plate umpire Jordan Johnson limped off the field, never to return. After a more than 10-minute delay between the first and second inning, play resumed with only one umpire on the field for the rest of the game.
Tied 2-2 after one, the Hops' Fernery Ozuna blasted a deep foul ball to right field, then hit the very next pitch over the wall in center for his third home run of the season, second as a Hop.
The 3-2 lead wouldn't last as Everett's Corey Simpson homered to left to lead off the third inning and two more Hops errors, including their second dropped fly ball of the game, plated another run later in the frame, making it 4-3 Everett.
But Jared Miller (4-0) overcame the defensive shortcomings to put up three more scoreless innings and completed his fourth consecutive quality start, allowing just one earned run in six innings with four strikeouts and two walks.
The Hops gave Miller the lead in the fifth inning when Josh Anderson doubled off the wall in right center, scoring Gerard Hernandez from first. Anderson would cross the plate with the go-ahead run when reliever Joselito Cano (bigger than the Jose he replaced) proceeded to walk three consecutive batters, his free pass to Jeff Smith plating Anderson to put the Hops up 5-4.
Anderson's sacrifice fly to right scored Stephen Dezzi in the sixth inning to give the Hops a 6-4 lead before Hillsboro blew the game open with a five -run seventh, capped by Luis Veras' bases-clearing double to the left field corner. Nate Robertson opened the inning with a home run to left, his first as a pro.
Now staked to a seven-run lead, Joe Donino mowed through the Everett order, retiring all nine batters he faced over the final three innings with three strikeouts to get credit for the save.
Seven Hops had multi-hit games, led by Hernandez, who wennt 4-for-6 with a run and an RBI. Ozuna was a triple away from the cycle with three hits, two runs scored and an RBI. Dezzi also scored twice.
The Hops gained no ground in the NWL South Division standings as the South teams swept the North in interdivisional play Sunday. Hillsboro remains tied with Eugene for the division lead at the halfway point of the first half. The division leaders after 38 games will qualify for the postseason.
The Hops will send left hander Cody Reed to the mound Monday night as they pursue their season-high fourth consecutive win. Hear all the action live on Rip City Radio 620 AM starting with the pregame show at 6:35 p.m.
• Discuss this story on the Northwest League message board...
Northwest League Stories from July 6, 2015
- EMbrace Bald Night July 7 - Eugene Emeralds
- Giants' World Series Trophy to Visit Keizer - Salem-Keizer Volcanoes
- Hawks Officially Add David Dahl to Roster - Boise Hawks
- Hops Hammer Frogs for Third Straight W - Hillsboro Hops
- Hillsboro's 5-Run 7th Downs Frogs - Everett AquaSox
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
