NWL1 Hillsboro Hops

Hops Deal Devils Key Loss in Pennant Chase

Published on July 24, 2016 under Northwest League (NWL1)
Hillsboro Hops News Release


PASCO, WASH. --- For the Tri-City Dust Devils, losing big games to the Hillsboro Hops must be getting old.

Hillsboro --- which knocked off Tri-City in last year's NWL Championship Series --- came from behind to beat Tri-City 6-2 on Saturday night in Pasco. The loss drops the Devils back into a first-place tie with Spokane with two games remaining in the first-half pennant race. Hillsboro has taken two of the first three games in the five-game series, and is 5-3 against Tri-City this year.

Tri-City (18-18) broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fourth inning as former Washington Husky Chris Baker doubled home Buddy Reed. They added another run an inning later on a single by Taylor Kohlwey, but superb relief by Hops left-hander Colin Poche and an acrobatic over-the-shoulder catch by second baseman Adam Walton prevented further damage in the fifth. Tri-City led 2-0.

The Hops (18-18) mounted a rally in the sixth. Chad Oberacker doubled and Marcus Wilson walked. Third baseman Ramon Hernandez, who was just 4-for-23 in six games with Hillsboro, belted a booming game-tying triple to right-center. He then scored the go-ahead run when Braxton Lorenzini's first pitch to Justin Chigbogu went to the backstop.

Hillsboro added two more in the eighth on walks to Connor Owings and Mark Karaviotis, followed by an RBI bunt single from Adam Walton, which actually produced two runs --- pitcher Dalton Erb's throw went down the right field line, allowing Karaviotis to score all the way from first. Another Hops run came home in the ninth when Owings and Karaviotis singled, Walton sacrificed, and Owings scored on a passed ball.

Trevor Simms pitched well in his first professional start for Hillsboro, in place of the injured Anfernee Benitez. Simms --- who had allowed just two runs (one earned) in 12.1 innings over his last four relief appearances --- retired the first nine men to face him. His final line: 4.1 innings, four hits, two runs (both earned), a walk and four strikeouts.

Poche retired all five hitters to face him --- including the final two hitters in the fifth to escape the bases-loaded jam. Curtis Taylor tossed a scoreless seventh, Jordan Watson worked a perfect eighth, and Jake Winston pitched around an error and two walks to close out the game in the ninth.

With a win in the next-to-last game of the series on Sunday, the Hops can assure themselves of at least a .500 first-half record. Right-hander Tyler Mark, the league-leader in strikeouts, takes the mound for Hillsboro.

Sunday night's radio broadcast begins at 6:45 PM on Rip City Radio 620AM and www.RipCityRadio.com. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

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Northwest League Stories from July 24, 2016


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