Hops Three-Hit C's to Win Third Straight
Published on August 8, 2021 under Northwest League (NWL)
Hillsboro Hops News Release
Three Hillsboro pitchers combined on a three-hitter and the Hops got timely extra-base hits for the second consecutive game in a 2-1 victory over the Vancouver Canadians Saturday at Ron Tonkin Field.
The win gave Hillsboro a 3-2 series leading heading into the finale of a six-game set in which the Canadians--who are sharing Hillsboro's home field due to COVID-19 border restrictions--are playing as the home team.
Brandon Pfaadt solidified his role as the current ace of the Hops' starting rotation, a rotation that has already seen a half dozen pitchers promoted to the next level in the Diamondbacks' organization, with 2018 Hop Matt Tabor already reaching AAA this year. Pfaadt matched a career-high with 11 strikeouts over seven innings, surrendering just two hits and one run to improve his Advanced-A record to 4-4. The Louisville native leads the Hops' current rotation in wins, ERA (2.82), WHIP (0.94) and opponent's batting average (.194).
The Canadians' lone run came in the third, when Rafael Lantigua walked with one out and scored on an RBI double by Orelvis Martinez Martinez. The 19-year-old rising star Martinez, who hit 19 home runs at Low-A Dunedin in the Blue Jays' system before earning his promotion to Advanced-A this week, has been limited to three hits in the series, but all have gone for extra bases, including a pair of home runs.
Hillsboro evened the score in the fourth inning with a two-out, none on rally against Vancouver starting pitcher Nick Fraze. Danny Oriente singled to right field and A.J. Vukovich followed with a doubled smoked into the left field corner, Oriente scoring when Luis De Los Santos' relay throw home popped out of the glove of catcher Phil Clarke.
The Hops jumped in front the following inning on a similar brace of hits. Leodany Perez beat out an infield chopper to third, then Roman Ruiz lined a ball just over the head of third baseman Tanner Morris down the left field line, the speedy Perez easily scoring from first.
The Hillsboro bullpen stayed spotless for the series as Denson Hull retired the Vancouver side in the eighth on a pair of pop-ups and a strikeout and Mailon Arroyo fanned the side in the ninth around a one-out Spencer Horwitz single, notching his third Hops save and sixth overall on the season.
Oriente, a career .324 hitter in three years at the University of Louisville, continues to impress in his Hops debut. The first-year corner OF, who signed as an undrafted free agent following the truncated 2020 college season, had his second three-hit game of the series and is batting .500 (11-22), with hits in six of his first seven games in a Hops uniform.
Fraze, a 22nd-round Blue Jays find from Texas State U. in San Marcos, suffered only his second loss of the season, allowing five hits and two earned runs in 4 2/3 innings with six strikeouts and two bases on balls.
Northwest League Stories from August 8, 2021
- Ems Fall Flat in Series Finale, Miss Chance for Sweep - Eugene Emeralds
- Sunday's Game Postponed, Tickets Can be Exchanged for a Future Game - Spokane Indians
- Vancouver Drops Game, Series on Sunday - Vancouver Canadians
- Hops Take C's Series with Fourth Straight Win - Hillsboro Hops
- 'Sox Hold off Late Spokane Rally, 6-5 - Everett AquaSox
- The 'Sox Are Back in Town - Everett AquaSox
- Hops Three-Hit C's to Win Third Straight - Hillsboro Hops
- Spokane Winning Streak Ends with 6-5 Loss - Spokane Indians
- Pfaadt Dominates C's Again - Vancouver Canadians
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