Hops Leave Bats Below Border
June 14, 2023 - Northwest League (NWL)
Hillsboro Hops News Release
The chase is on for the Northwest League's first-half championship and the Vancouver Canadians, with the best home field advantage in minor league baseball and the last-place Hops in town are well-situated for a run at a playoff berth.
Ivan DeJesus went 3-for-3 with two home runs, a double, three runs scored and three runs batted in and three Canadians pitchers combined on a one-hitter as Vancouver trounced Hillsboro 9-1 Tuesday night at Nat Bailey Stadium in the opening game of a six-game series.
The C's (32-25) remain tied with Spokane for first place in the Northwest League standings with the first-half cutoff looming on June 23. The top three teams in the league all won with Spokane defeating Eugene 5-3 and Tri-City besting Everett 7-3. The Dust Devils remain a game and a half back of the Canadians and Indians.
Gavin Logan had the Hops' only hit, a leadoff double in the third inning off Michael Dominguez that was just a couple of feet from clearing the center field fence. It would have been the Oyen, Alberta native and former Oregon State catcher's first pro home run. Logan left the game with an injury in the bottom of the third inning.
Dominguez (3-2) struck out eight and walked three, allowing one unearned run over a season-high 5 2/3 innings. In two starts against the Hops this season, the fourth-year pro from Tampa has fanned 16 batters and allowed three hits and no earned runs in 10 2/3 innings.
Avery Short (1-4) surrendered five runs on six hits, including a pair of home runs over 3 1/3 innings. Former Oregon Duck shortstop Josh Kasevich launched a three-run home run off the video scoreboard in a four-run fourth to help chase Short. It was the Palo Alto native's first pro longball.
After retiring the first four Canadians' batters, Short's first pitch to De Jesus ended up in the left field seats. Two innings later, the former Dodgers prospect followed a Cade Doughty leadoff infield hit with an RBI double off the right center field fence. One inning later, DeJesus sent a Carlos Meza pitch over the left field grandstands entirely. He would walk in his final two at bats, reaching base five times in the game.
Doughty and Dasan Brown also had three hits each, with Doughty scoring two runs and Brown scoring one with one knocked in. Devonte Brown singled and walked three times as four Hops pitchers combined for nine bases on balls. Dillon Larsen walked three and had four wild pitches over 2 1/3 innings of relief, tying a Hillsboro record shared with four others.
The Canadians batted around in the fourth and fifth innings, scoring six runs on eight hits to take a 7-0 lead. The Hops eked out a run in the sixth, courtesy of two Dominguez walks, a passed ball and a Kasevich throwing error that plated Jonathan Guzman. Two Canadians relievers limited the Hops to a single walk over the final 3 1/3 innings as the C's cruised.
Three Hops joined the roster, while six players were unable to make the trip up north. Six-foot-six right handed pitcher Gunnar Groen made his high-A debut in a scoreless eighth inning, pitching around a walk and single with a strikeout. Six-foot-eight right hander Billy Corcoran will make his Hillsboro debut on the mound on Wednesday.
The Hops and C's return to action Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m. with pre-game coverage beginning at 6:50 p.m. on Rip City Radio 620 AM.
Northwest League Stories from June 14, 2023
- Labrada Goes 3-4 in Return, Frogs Lose 7-3 - Everett AquaSox
- Join the AquaSox for a July 3rd Pre-Game Picnic - Everett AquaSox
- Swinging C's Rout Hops 9-1 - Vancouver Canadians
- Dana, Dust Devils Spin Past AquaSox - Tri-City Dust Devils
- Hops Leave Bats Below Border - Hillsboro Hops
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