Hops Right a Wong, Salvage Split
July 10, 2022 - Northwest League (NWL)
Hillsboro Hops News Release
One night after their most lopsided loss of the year, it was the Hillsboro Hops that laid on the lumber late.
Danny Oriente's two-RBI single keyed a three-run, sixth inning as Hillsboro (8-7 second half, 37-42 overall) plated eight of their nine runs against the Eugene bullpen in a 9-4 victory over the Emeralds (8-7, 46-32) in front of 3,131 at Ron Tonkin Field on Sunday afternoon.
With the victory, Hillsboro earned a series split against the defending Northwest League champs and first-half titlists. The Hops are gunning for a postseason date with Eugene, which has won six consecutive playoff games against the Hops, eliminating them from the short-season NWL playoffs in three consecutive years 2016-18.
Landon Roupp got the start for the visiting Ems and limited the Hops to a single run, while striking out seven in four innings, including four batters in the second inning alone. Eugene garnered a 3-0 lead on a Luis Toribio RBI double in the second and a Hunter Bishop two-run homer in the third inning.
That would be all of the scoring off Hillsboro starting pitcher Jamieson Hill (5-5), who retired 12 of the final 13 batters he faced, allowing five hits with a season-high eight strikeouts and one base on balls over seven complete innings.
Meanwhile, Roupp gave way to Monday's starter Jake Wong (5-4) in the fifth. With Eugene leading 3-1, Wong walked Fox Semones with one out and surrendered a hit-and-run single to left-center field to Cam Coursey. Bishop's throw back to the infield went to second base as Semones flew around third to score all the way from first to make it a one-run ballgame.
The Hops turned the game around in the sixth with three consecutive hits to start the inning. After a Caleb Roberts single and Neyfy Castillo double put runners at first and second, Oriente blooped a single to left field to drive in two for the lead, then advanced to third when the ball got past left fielder Jairo Pomares. Two outs later with Oriente at third, Semones hit a routine pop up on the infield. Wong tried to make the play himself, but the ball clanked off the heel of his glove as Oriente crossed the plate to give Hillsboro a 5-3 lead.
Eugene leadoff batter Vaun Brown got a run back with a deep home run to left off Andrew Saalfrank to start the eighth, but the lefty from Hoagland, Indiana retired the next three to preserve a one-run lead. Hoping for insurance in their final turn at bat against a fearsome Emerald lineup that leads the NWL in homers and OPS, the Hops got plenty. Oriente drove in his fourth run of the day with a base hit to right center after Castillo singled and stole second to lead off the inning. That would be it for Wong, who surrendered seven hits and five runs in 3+ innings in suffering his second loss of the week. The Hops left little do doubt, adding two more runs on a Semones double off heavily bearded reliever Brett Standlee before the bonus baby Jordan Lawlar put a capper on the Hops' 12-hit attack with an RBI triple past diving right fielder Najee Gaskins to close the scoring.
A.J. Vukovich had his third consecutive multi-hit game, going 3-for-4 with a double, run scored and two stolen bases. Oriente was 2-for-3 with two runs to go with his season-high four ribbies. Castillo finished the series with eight hits, including four for extra bases and also scored twice on the day.
The Hops head to rowdy Nat Bailey Stadium for the first of six games against the Vancouver Canadians Tuesday night. Tune in for the live broadcast with pregame coverage beginning at 6:50 p.m. on Rip City Radio 620 AM.
Northwest League Stories from July 10, 2022
- Ten Runs Not Enough as Sox Fall in Finale - Everett AquaSox
- Hops Right a Wong, Salvage Split - Hillsboro Hops
- Emeralds Go Even in the Series against Hillsboro - Eugene Emeralds
- Indians Split Series with Dust Devils, Return Home on Friday, July 22nd - Spokane Indians
- Late Insurance Helps C's Survive 9th Inning Rally - Vancouver Canadians
- Eugene Scores 14 Unanswered Runs to Defeat Hillsboro - Hillsboro Hops
- AquaSox Ninth Inning Rally Comes up Inches Short - Everett AquaSox
- Emeralds Go off Offensively against Hillsboro - Eugene Emeralds
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