Arnold Terminates Hops in 4-1 Canadians Win
August 8, 2025 - Northwest League (NWL)
Hillsboro Hops News Release
VANCOUVER, B.C. -- The only thing better for the home fans when their Vancouver Canadians win is when a Canadian player is the star of the game.
Nine-hole hitter Bryce Arnold was batting a paltry .147 in 21 games with the Blue Jays affiliate heading into yesterday's contest. But the Grimsby, Ontario native stepped up big as the C's (20-19 second half, 57-48 overall) knocked off the Hops 4-1.
Arnold ignited a two-run rally in the third inning with a leadoff walk, then drove in Vancouver's final two runs with a two-out single in the eighth inning. The third-year outfielder, who played his college ball at Campbell University, reached base all four times on Thursday, going 3-for-3 with a run and two RBI as the C's evened their home record at 26-26 following back-to-back losses to Hillsboro (13-26, 46-59).
Vancouver sent eight men to the plate in the third inning against Hops starter Wilkin Paredes (7-4), who lost for the first time in a Hillsboro uniform after back-to-back wins in his first two starts. Paredes surrendered eight of the Canadians' 13 hits over his five innings, fanning five with three walks.
Edinson Batista (6-4) escaped a first-and-second, none-out situation in the first inning with a double play, pitching five scoreless innings on just three hits allowed with four strikeouts and one walk to notch his first win since he beat the Hops in Hillsboro back on July 12.
Slade Caldwell opened the game with a base hit on the very first pitch, then stole second on the next one. Jansel Luis followed with a line drive smash to first base that clanked off the glove of Sean Keys for an error. But Druw Jones bounced into an around-the-horn double play and the Hops threat was snuffed when Batista raced down Angel Ortiz's dribbler to the right side and ran it to the bag himself for the final out.
Batista retired 10 of 11 after those initial batters reached, with Caldwell doubling with two outs in the third to reach base for the sixth consecutive plate appearance. A two-out walk to Cristofer Torin in the fourth and two-out single to Modeifi Marte in the fifth were the only other base runners he allowed before giving way to Irv Carter in the sixth.
After Arnold walked to start the bottom of the third, leadoff batter J.R. Freethy hit a hot-shot grounder that skipped past third baseman Ruben Santana for a single. WIth runners at first and second and none out, Hops catcher Kenny Castillo attempted to back pick Freethy at first, but his throw got past Marte, who then threw wildly to third in an attempt to get Arnold, who scampered home with Freethy reaching second on the double error. Two outs later, Arjun Nimmala singled to left center to plate Freethy and put Vancouver up 2-0.
The Canadians loaded the bases, but didn't score another run that inning, then had scoring threats erased by three consecutive Hillsboro double plays in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings.
The Hops finally got on the board in the sixth, when Druw Jones doubled over the head of right fielder Eddie Micheletti, Jr. with one out. Angel Ortiz followed with an RBI single to right. But the C's turned their second double play to end the inning.
Hillsboro wasted a leadoff double by Marte in the eighth, with Carter retiring the top three in the order on fly ball outs.
Then Vancouver plated two insurance runs in the eighth inning when Arnold roped a two-out single off Ricardo Yan, scoring Ricardo Duran and Nick Goodwin.
The Hops got another leadoff two-bagger off Carter in the ninth on Ortiz's second hit of the night. But the Fort Lauderdale native again retired three straight, punching out Santana to end the game.
Carter notched his second career save. The four-inning outing was his longest since converting to the bullpen following the 2023 season. Nick Goodwin also had three hits in the game, scoring on Arnold's eighth inning single.
Caldwell, Ortiz and Marte each had two of Hillsboro's seven hits.
The game lasted just 2:06 after Tuesday's and Wednesday's games carried well past the three-hour mark. Batista and Carter combined to walk just one batter after Vancouver pitchers issued 11 free passes Wednesday night. The Hops trio of pitchers combined for just four bases on balls after 22 combined over the first two games of the series.
A marquee pitching matchup is on tap for Friday's "Nooner At The Nat" as Hops ace Daniel Eagen squares off against Blue Jays number five prospect Gage Stanifer. Hear all the action on Rip City Radio 620 with pregame coverage beginning at 12:50, first pitch at 1:05.
Northwest League Stories from August 8, 2025
- Hops Drop Canadians in Near No-No - Hillsboro Hops
- Kyle Karros Slated to Make MLB Debut Tonight - Spokane Indians
- C's Avoid No-No, Lose 3-1 - Vancouver Canadians
- Bilardello's Bashers Back at It in Second Straight Tri-City Win - Tri-City Dust Devils
- Arnold Terminates Hops in 4-1 Canadians Win - Hillsboro Hops
- Batista, Carter, Arnold Carry C's to Victory - Vancouver Canadians
- Dust Devils Take 2-1 Series Lead - Everett AquaSox
- Emeralds Rally from 3-Run Deficit in the 8th Inning as Charlie Szykowny Delivers Walk-Off Win in Extras - Eugene Emeralds
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