Hops Bedevilled by Yet Another One-Run Loss
Published on May 18, 2024 under Northwest League (NWL)
Hillsboro Hops News Release
As the Northwest League schedule continues to unfold, it becomes increasingly clear how even the playing field is.
The Hillsboro Hops (17-19) and Tri-City Dust Devils (17-19) played yet another nailbiter Friday night, but the results were the same as Thursday, a 4-3 victory for the home team.
Sporting the popular Columbia River Roostertails uniforms for the second time this season, the Columbia Basin crowd got to cheer the first home run of the season for a native son. Kennewick native Mason Martin--signed as a free agent prior to the season by the Angels after six years in the Pirates system--launched a 427-foot home run to right field in the second inning to give the Devils a 3-0 lead.
The Hops twice pulled within one run, but could not get over the hump. Joel Hurtado (3-3) retired the first eight Hops batters and 11 of the first 12. But the Hops were clearly catching up to Hurtado by the fifth inning.
After Christian Cerda was hit in the back by a pitch, Manny Pena smoked a deep shot to center field for the second out of the inning, followed by a single through the right side by Juan Corniel that put runners at the corners. Jack Hurley followed by lashing a shot toward first base that caromed off the glove of Matt Coutney to second baseman Caleb Ketchup. Ketchup had a chance to throw out Hurley at first but threw wide of the mark. Cerda scored on the play and Corniel went to third, from where he scored on an errant pickoff throw to first by Hurtado. A strikeout of Andrew Pintar ended the inning.
An errant pickoff attempt by Cerda in the bottom of the frame sent Ketchup to third base with none out after a leadoff walk. Ketchup scored on an Andy Blake sacrifice fly to right and Tri-City had a 4-2 lead after five innings.
In his first Hops start, Roman Angelo (0-1) allowed four hits and three earned runs over five innings with four strikeouts, two walks and a hit batter. Hurtado pitched into sixth, but departed after surrendering a leadoff triple to the right field wall to Gavin Conticello and an RBI single to left by Neyfy Castillo. Former two-way player Dylan Phillips came out of the pen with one out and the tying run at third base, hitting the first batter he faced to put David Martin aboard. But that would be the final Hops baserunner. Phillips and Willian Suarez combined to retire the final 11 Hops batters to give the Dust Devils a three-games-to-one lead in the series.
The Hops also got fine work from their bullpen as Armando Vasquez, Zane Russell (making his first appearance since coming off the injured list) and Peniel Otano combined to hold Tri-City scoreless on one hit over the final three innings.
The Devils rallied for two first-inning runs after Angelo retired the first two batters. Jadiel Sanchez walked, Coutney rifled a single to right field and Cam Williams followed with a shot to the left center field gap. Williams got greedy and tried to take third but was thrown out for the final out of the inning.
Martin, who hit 122 homers in six seasons in the Pirates system, blasted a 2-2 Angelo pitch over the right field fence for his first Gesa Stadium longball. The powerfully built, six-foot lefty starred at Southridge High School in Kennewick before being drafted by Pittsburgh in the 17th round in 2017. Having not received a major league call after three years playing at AAA Indianapolis, Martin opted for free agency and signed with the Angels last month, getting an opportunity to play for the hometown team as he likely makes his way to higher levels of the organization.
Martin and Williams each had two hits for the Devils. Corniel and Castillo each had a pair of hits for the Hops.
The teams reconvene for game five of the series Saturday night at 6:30 p.m. Pregame airtime is at 6:20 p.m. on Rip City Radio 620 AM.
Northwest League Stories from May 18, 2024
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- Disastrous Doubleheader Nets C's Two Losses - Vancouver Canadians
- Bill Knight's Four RBIs Conquer Emeralds Saturday Night - Everett AquaSox
- Hops Bedevilled by Yet Another One-Run Loss - Hillsboro Hops
- Richmond's Bericoto Catching On-- in the Outfield - Eugene Emeralds
- Checkered Flag: Largest Crowd of Season Sees Rooster Tails Race Past Hops - Tri-City Dust Devils
- Locked-In Labrada Leads Sox to Win - Everett AquaSox
- Emeralds' Late Inning Rally Not Enough as Everett Wins Game 4 - Eugene Emeralds
- Bohrofen's Big Night Powers C's to Victory - Vancouver Canadians
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