Hops Beat Ems (!) Behind Another Great Start
Published on May 22, 2026 under Northwest League (NWL)
Hillsboro Hops News Release
EUGENE, OREGON - Finally, the Hops were able to cash in a solid outing by a starting pitcher at P.K. Park. For the fifth time in six games in Eugene this year, the Hops got a strong start, this time by Caden Grice. Unlike the previous games, however, this time the Hops came out in front, 6-1. It was Hillsboro's first win in Eugene, and just their second victory over the Emeralds in 12 games this year.
Grice allowed five hits in five and a third shutout innings, walking one and striking out four. He pitched around two hits and a walk to leave the bases loaded in the second, and after a two-out double in the fourth he retired the final five batters he faced. Hillsboro's three starting pitchers in this series --- Rio Britton on Tuesday, Brian Curley on Wednesday, and Grice --- have combined to allow just two runs on 12 hits in 16.1 innings against the top-scoring team in the league, with three walks and 15 strikeouts.
Hops batters got to a pair of pitchers having good seasons, Yunior Marte and Hunter Dryden. Wallace Clark and Modeifi Marte singled to start the third, and back-to-back walks drawn by Slade Caldwell and Jose Mejia forced home a run. Trent Youngblood had a sacrifice fly to center to make it 2-0 Hops.
In the fifth, Modeifi Marte singled again and stole second, and scored on Caldwell's single to put Hillsboro up 3-0, all three runs coming off Yunior Marte. Eugene responded in the sixth against reliever Joangel Gonzalez, when Jancel Villaroel hit a solo homer to straightaway center to cut the Hops' lead to 3-1.
Hillsboro put the game away against Dryden in the eighth. Trent Youngblood had a bunt single, Alberto Barriga reached base on an error, and Yerald Nin tripled into the left-field corner to bring home two. Brady Counsell followed with an RBI double to increase the advantage to 6-1.
Sawyer Hawks pitched around a leadoff single to work a scoreless eighth for Hillsboro, and Yordin Chalas tossed a scoreless ninth despite allowing a walk and a single.
It was just Eugene's 10th loss this year. At 32-10, they have the best record among 120 minor-league clubs. The Hops are 17-25.
Game four of the six-game series will be on Friday night at 6:35. Airtime from P.K. Park will be 6:20PM on Rip City Radio 620AM and www.RipCityRadio.com.
Northwest League Stories from May 22, 2026
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- Hops Beat Ems (!) Behind Another Great Start - Hillsboro Hops
- Hops Hand Ems a Loss for the Second Time this Season - Eugene Emeralds
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