NWL1 Hillsboro Hops

Hops Win on Herculean Hernandez Effort

August 5, 2016 - Northwest League (NWL1)
Hillsboro Hops News Release


Hops third baseman Ramon Hernandez went 5-for-5 with two home runs, including a third inning grand slam. Luke Lowery added four hits, including a pair of doubles as the Hops (5-2 2nd half, 24-21 overall) won the opening game of their eight-game road trip 9-4 at Everett Memorial Stadium.

Hernandez added an RBI double, drove in six runs, scored three times and made a spectacular diving catch in shallow left field to rob Everett's Donnie Walton of a leadoff base hit in the fifth inning. The AquaSox (5-2, 23-22) trailed 6-2 at that point with Hernandez responsible for five of the runs. After his twisting, 360-degree diving snag, Everett's Eric Filia followed with a double and Nick Zammarelli singled to left. Without Hernandez's catch, the AquaSox have a run across and two more on base with none out. Instead, Hops pitcher Bo Takahashi (2-0) fanned Bryson Brigman and big first baseman Kristian Brito bouned out to short as the Sox stranded runners at second and third with no runs scoring. If you count the runs that Hernandez took off the board, you could argue that he had a swing value of at minimum eight runs on the evening.

Potential big inning was the theme of the night for the AquaSox, who had 12 hits but stranded 13 runners on base including 10 in scoring position. On a night where Mariners' shortstop Ketel Marte batted in the leadoff spot, beginning a rehab assignment on his way back from a bout of mononucleosis, what stood out was not his double to right center in the third inning.

Marte came to the plate in the fourth inning with the bases loaded, a run already in and the Sox trailing 6-2. On a 1-2 pitch he hit a chopper to shortstop. Mark Karaviotis handled the short hop and made a glove toss to Manny Jefferson at second to begin an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play, one of two twin killings on the night for the Hops. Marte came up again in the sixth inning with runners at first and second and one out against Hops reliever Jefferson Mejia. He hit a sharp grounder to the left of first baseman Justin Chigbogu, who had to hesitate as Mejia raced to the bag. His toss to the 6-7 hurler was just in time to get the speedy Marte as the runners advanced to second and third. Mejia got Walton to ground out harmlessly to Chigbogu to end that threat.

While pitchers made key pitches and the defense made key plays to snuff out multiple Everett rallies, the story of the night was clearly Hernandez. The 6-4, 225-pound corner infielder from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic put the Hops on the board with a solo home run to left field in the top of the second inning. Hernandez, down in the count 1-2, took a curve ball that appeared to catch the plate. A frustrated Reggie McClain (0-3), making his second start against the Hops after fanning 10 Hillsboro batters in a dominant four-inning performance at Ron Tonkin Field on July 17, kicked at the dirt in front of the rubber in exasperation after not getting the call. His very next pitch soared high into the netting above the left field fence for Hernandez's first Hops home run.

Hernandez came back around with the bases loaded in the third inning. Josh Anderson singled with one out and Luke Lowery followed with a shot off the wall in left for a double. Justin Chigbogu was plunked to load the bases before Anderson was forced out at home on Stephen Smith's grounder to first. With two outs, Hernandez ripped a line drive to left that was never more than a few feet above the wall and the Hops had a 5-0 lead.

The Hops would lead by at least four runs the rest of the way, although Everett kept the pressure on throughout the night. The Hops outhit the AquaSox 14-12 as Takahashi picked up his second straight victory, allowing two runs on six hits with a strikeout, two walks and two hit batters in five innings. McClain was out after three innings after allowing five runs on five hits, four for extra bases.

The Hops return to action at 7:05 p.m. Friday night in game two of the series. Live pregame on Rip City Radio 620 AM starts at 6:35 p.m.

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Northwest League Stories from August 5, 2016


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