NWL Hillsboro Hops

Hops' Defense Shines in Third Straight Win

April 30, 2023 - Northwest League (NWL)
Hillsboro Hops News Release


Hillsboro shortstop Channy Ortiz made a full-layout diving play on the final out of the game to preserve the Hops' 4-2 win over the Tri-City Dust Devils on Saturday at Ron Tonkin Field. It was one of several highlight-reel plays made by the middle-infield combo of Ortiz and second baseman S.P. Chen, as the Hops won their third consecutive game.

The day began with a defensive highlight, followed by some electrifying baserunning. With two out in the top of the first, Tri-City's Arol Vera singled, and Christian Sepulveda lined a ball to the fence in left-center field. Vera scored, but the Hops escaped further damage by executing a perfect relay --- from left fielder Jacen Roberson to shortstop Ortiz to third baseman Josh Day --- to cut down Sepulveda at third.

Then, in the bottom of the first, Hillsboro center fielder Wilderd Patino, one of the faster players in baseball, singled and stole second. A walk and a hit batter loaded the bases, putting Patino at third with two down. After Jarrod Watkins took strike one, Patino broke for the plate on catcher Myles Emmerson's throw back to the mound. Pitcher Bryce Osmond fired the ball back to Emmerson, and Patino dived headfirst. He was ruled safe, delighting the crowd of 2,651, and tying the game 1-1. (The run, however, came at a cost, as Patino had to leave the game with an undisclosed injury.)

Hops starting pitcher Yu-Min Lin --- at 19 years and nine months old, the youngest player on the Hops by a year and a half --- was solid in his third High-A start. Limited to 60 pitches, he worked 4.1 innings, allowing two runs on two hits, and utilizing his excellent off-speed offerings to strike out five.

Tri-City went up 2-1 in the top of the fifth when Dust Devils right fielder Joe Stewart walked, stole second and third on consecutive pitches thrown by Hops reliever Gerald Ogando, and scored on Osmy Gregorio's ground-out.

But the Hops again tied the game in the next half-inning, though it had more to do with Tri-City reliever Robinson Pina than with Hillsboro's bats. With one out in the bottom of the fifth, Pina walked two batters and hit another to load the bases. Then, with two out, he walked Day to force home a run and tie the game 2-2. Dylan King came out of the Dust Devils' bullpen and struck out Ortiz to leave the bases loaded.

It was one of many opportunities the Hops let slip away. Hillsboro loaded the bases in the first, second and fifth innings, and had runners at second and third in the fourth, and out of all that were able to muster only two runs.

All the while, the Hops' defense was air-tight. Chen made a great play in the top of the sixth, ranging behind the bag at second to backhand Emmerson's ground ball, then leaping in the air and throwing a one-up strike to first for the out. In the seventh, Day made a nice play, charging in from third on a tapper to throw Sepulveda out at first.

An inning later, Chen and Ortiz combined on a jaw-dropping exchange. Tri-City third baseman Casey Dana grounded a ball behind the bag at second. Chen --- again ranging wide to his right --- back-handed the ball. With his momentum leading him away from first, Chen realized he had no chance to throw out Dana. So he flipped the ball to Ortiz, who was heading toward first, and Ortiz completed the 4-6-3 out. (As it turned out, that play may have kept the game tied, as the next two batters singled.)

The Hops left another runner on second base in the sixth --- at that point, they'd left 10 on base, eight in scoring position --- and had a runner doubled off second on a line drive in the bottom of the seventh.

But they finally broke through in the eighth. Gregorio bobbled a routine ground ball from Day, allowing Day to reach base to begin the inning. Ortiz singled and stole second to put runners at second and third with none out. When Tri-City reliever Emilker Guzman retired the next two batters on a strikeout and pop-out, it looked like another chance might slip away. But Chen hit a hard ground ball through the left side to score both runners and make it 4-2.

Hillsboro left-hander Carlos Meza had gotten the last two outs in the eighth inning, but after recording the first two outs of the ninth inning, he ran into trouble. Stewart and Gregorio each poked singles into right field to put the tying runs on base. With runners at first and third, the luckless Dana ripped a ground ball that looked certain to head into left-center field. Ortiz, however, executed a full-layout dive to his left to snare the ball, then got to his feet and threw a one-hop strike to first baseman Shane Muntz to end the game.

Hillsboro (9-11) gained a game on first-place Eugene, and the Hops are now 3.5 games out. Last-place Tri-City (7-12) remained five games out. The Hops have won three of the first five games of the six-game series.

Another positive note for the Hops was the return of hard-throwing reliever Conor Grammes. Just off the injured list (he missed nine days after straining a groin), Grammes showed good command as he worked 1.1 scoreless innings.

The series concludes on Sunday afternoon at 1:05 PM at Ron Tonkin Field. Airtime is 12:50 PM on Rip City Radio 620AM and www.RipCityRadio.com.

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