Devils Take Series with Third One-Run Win
May 19, 2024 - Northwest League (NWL)
Hillsboro Hops News Release
PASCO, Wash. - Mason Martin broke a scoreless tie in the eighth inning with a two-out RBI single and the Tri-City Dust Devils (18-20) defeated the Hillsboro Hops 1-0 Sunday afternoon at Gesa Stadium.
The Kennewick native, only the second Tri-Cities native to play for the hometown club, completed an impressive week. The former Pittsburgh Pirates slugger went 7-for-14 against the Hops with two homers, five runs batted in and two runs scored. Martin reached base twice on walks before lining the first pitch from Listher Sosa (3-1) into right field, scoring Caleb Ketchup with the only run of the game.
Brady Choban (2-0) pitched a scoreless eighth inning and Camden Minacci recorded his league leading seventh save, thanks to the fourth double play of the day by the Dust Devils infield.
The loss spoiled a brilliant outing by Hillsboro's Logan Clayton. A reliever who saved three games for the Hops in 2023, Clayton had recently switched to the starting rotation at AA Amarillo. Making his fourth start of the season and first with the Hops, the former Houston Cougar tossed a career-high 5 1/3 innings of one-hit, shutout ball, striking out a career-high eight batters with two walks.
Alec Baker recorded the final two outs of the sixth inning and hung a scoreless frame in the seventh, fanning four batters to pitch out of two runners-in-scoring position jams. Ketchup led off the bottom of the eighth inning with a single against Sosa, then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt to the mound by Andy Blake. After Sosa retired Jorge Ruiz on a grounder to the ride side, Martin served his first pitch into left for the game-winner.
Hurley beat out an infield hit to lead off the top of the ninth. But after showing bunt on Minacci's first pitch to him, Andrew Pintar swung away and hit a grounder to Ketchup at second. The Devils second baseman was also involved in twin-killings in the first, third and fourth innings.
Tri-City starting pitcher Walbert Urena--a hard-throwing 20-year-old right hander ranked 12th in the Angels organization by MLB Pipeline, matched a career-high with seven innings for Tri-City--fanning four with two walks and one hit batter, while surrendering just two Hops hits in a strong start.
Tri-City outhit the Hops 5-4 to pull even with Hillsboro in the Northwest League standings. The teams meet again in next month at Hillsboro Ballpark as the Hops spend three of the next four weeks on the home field, beginning Tuesday against Vancouver. Pregame airtime is at 6:20 p.m. for the series opener against the Canadians with the first pitch scheduled for 6:35 p.m. on Rip City Radio 620 AM.
Northwest League Stories from May 19, 2024
- Late AquaSox Rally Falls Short in Series Finale - Everett AquaSox
- Emeralds Leave Everett with Series Finale Victory - Eugene Emeralds
- Kyle Karros Stuns C's with Walk-Off Home Run - Spokane Indians
- Ninth Inning Comeback Wasted, C's Lose Via Walk-Off - Vancouver Canadians
- Devils Take Series with Third One-Run Win - Hillsboro Hops
- Pintar Power: Hops Torch Tri-City Pen - Hillsboro Hops
- Middle Innings Tempestuous in Tri-City Loss to Hillsboro - Tri-City Dust Devils
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