Hops Clobber C's 12-2 in Vancouver
Published on June 24, 2016 under Northwest League (NWL1)
Hillsboro Hops News Release
VANCOUVER, B.C. - The Hillsboro Hops were expected to have a solid batting order in 2016. That offense finally came to life on Friday afternoon at Nat Bailey Stadium. Hillsboro (3-5) pounded out 11 hits in a 12-2 win over the Vancouver Canadians (4-4).
The Hops had scored just a dozen runs in their previous six games, and had not scored in the first inning this year. That changed Friday when they plated four runs in the first against Vancouver starter Juliandry Higuera. Luis Veras had a sacrifice fly, Luke Lowery singled home a run, and with two out and the bases loaded, Manny Jefferson singled home two more.
Hillsboro added two more in the third on an RBI single by Jeff Smith and a passed ball, and they led 6-1.
Hops starter Jeferson Mejia had allowed just one run in the first three innings --- on a two-out walk in the first inning, followed by a Jacob Anderson double --- but he ran into trouble in the fourth. A hit batsman and two singles made it 6-2, and runners were at second and third with one out. After a visit to the mound by pitching coach Mike Parrott, Mejia retired the next two hitters on popups. Another hit batter loaded the bases, but Mejia induced leadoff man Lance Jones to ground out to short to leave the bases loaded.
Mejia pitched out of another jam in the fifth. Back-to-back one-out singles by Cavan Biggio and Anderson put runners at the corners with one out, but Mejia got a popout and a strikeout to end his day. He allowed two runs on five hits in five innings.
The Hops scored three more times in the seventh. Matt Railey was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, Smith had a sacrifice fly, and a Vancouver error led to the third run. Lowery had a two-run single in the eighth to highlight another three-run inning.
Big right-hander Dean Jackson --- a free-agent signee out of tiny Arizona Christian University --- made his Hops debut in relief of Mejia, tossing two hitless, scoreless frames. Tucker Ward worked a perfect eighth, striking out two. And Tommy Eveld pitched around a leadoff single in the ninth to finish the game.
On Saturday night, the Hops and Canadians meet at 7:05 in the middle game of the five-game series. The pregame show begins at 6:35 on Rip City Radio 620 AM and www.RipCityRadio.com.
SHORT HOPS: Lowery was 3-for-5 with three runs batted in and a pair of stolen bases. He is 4 for his last 6 after an 0-for-12 stretch. ... Marcus Wilson scored three runs. ... The Hops stole five bases in the first three innings, pulling off two double steals. ... Alexis Olmeda was 1-for-2 with a double, three walks and two runs scored. ... The Hops had four multiple-run innings, one more than they had had in the first seven games of the season.
Northwest League Stories from June 24, 2016
- Giants Send First Set of Draft Picks to Salem-Keizer - Salem-Keizer Volcanoes
- Hops Clobber C's 12-2 in Vancouver - Hillsboro Hops
- Hillsboro Hands Canadians 12-2 Loss On Friday Afternoon - Vancouver Canadians
- Emeralds Take a Swing at Pediatric Cancer - Eugene Emeralds
- Mariners Pitcher Rehabs Tonight - Everett AquaSox
- Compton Drives in Four in Game 1 Loss - Salem-Keizer Volcanoes
- Hops' O Woes Continue in B.C. - Hillsboro Hops
- Canadians Back To Winning Ways As Hops Come To Town - Vancouver Canadians
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