Hittin' Hops' Surge Continues
May 2, 2025 - Northwest League (NWL)
Hillsboro Hops News Release
VANCOUVER, B.C. - The Hillsboro Hops' offensive onslaught continued for a second straight game at Nat Bailey Stadium. A day after setting a season-high with 15 hits, the Hops recorded 17 hits on Friday afternoon in a 7-4 win over the Vancouver Canadians. Cristofer Torin led the way with four hits, while Druw Jones had three, and every hitter in the Hillsboro lineup had at least one.
Hillsboro repeatedly lost chances to turn the game into a blowout. They left a dozen on base (eight in scoring position), but quality pitching --- and a little luck --- in key spots kept the Canadians at bay.
The Hops got on the board first on doubles by Torin and Ryan Waldschmidt in the first inning, and added single runs in the third (on a single by Jansel Luis), the fourth (on a sacrifice fly by Anderdson Rojas) and fifth (on a bases-loaded walk drawn by J.J. D'Orazio). At that point, though, the Hops had already left eight on base, six on either second or third.
Hillsboro starter Logan Clayton, just back down from Double-A Mobile, was seeking his first good outing of the year. While it wasn't as good as he'd hoped, Clayton definitely took steps in the right direction. He didn't allow a hit until the fourth inning, when the Canadians scored their first run on a single by Cutter Coffey. Then, in the fifth, Clayton gave up a two-run double to number-nine hitter Alex Stone, and the Hops' lead was trimmed to 4-3.
After Stone's double, right-hander Hayden Durke --- one of the Hops' most effective relievers this year --- came out of the Hillsboro bullpen with the tying run at second. He immediately walked two batters to load the bases with one out. Durke then struck out Coffey on a 96-mile-per-hour fastball for the second out.
Sean Keys, the Canadians' cleanup hitter, stepped in... and here's where the luck comes in. With the bases loaded and two down in the fifth and his team trailing 4-3, Keys smoked one to right field... pretty much right at Angel Ortiz. Inning over.
The Hops immediately responded in the top of the sixth with three runs off Irv Carter, who was a bit unlucky. With one out, Torin doubled into the right-field corner, and when Carter Cunningham misplayed it, Torin went to third. Vancouver was forced to bring the infield in. Jansel Luis hit a pop-up to shallow right that would have been an easy play for the second out of the inning, had the infield been back. But it dropped for a hit and Luis' second RBI of the game. After Waldschmidt walked, the Hops pulled off a double-steal. Demetrio Crisantes brought home the second run of the inning on a ground-out, and Druw Jones singled up the middle for another run. The Hops led 7-3.
The bullpen would take it from there. Durke pitched around a one-out walk in the sixth, and Carlos Rey worked around a two-out walk in the seventh.
Vancouver got one back on an RBI double by Nick Goodwin in the eighth, but with the tying run on deck and two down, Philip Abner came on to replace Rey and retire Cunningham on a foul-out to third to end the inning. Abner then struck out the side in order in the 9th to seal the win and earn his second save. Durke (3-0) got the win.
The Hops (15-10) lead the Northwest League by half a game, pending the outcome of Eugene's game at home against Everett on Friday night.
Game five of the six-game series in Vancouver will be on Saturday at 1:05PM. The radio broadcast will begin just before 1PM after a special Saturday edition of Rip City Drive (from 9AM-1PM) on Rip City Radio 620AM and www.RipCityRadio.com.
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Northwest League Stories from May 2, 2025
- Ems' Bats Cool off as Everett Wins First Game of Series - Eugene Emeralds
- C's Drop 'Nooner to Even Series - Vancouver Canadians
- Hittin' Hops' Surge Continues - Hillsboro Hops
- Eugene Edges AquaSox at PK Park - Everett AquaSox
- Hops Club Canadians, End Pair of Losing Streaks - Hillsboro Hops
- Indians Get Past Dust Devils Late - Tri-City Dust Devils
- Middle Innings Doom C's in Loss - Vancouver Canadians
- Shane Rademacher Strikes out Career High 10 as Ems Win 3rd Straight - Eugene Emeralds
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