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NWL1 Hillsboro Hops

My, Ozuna, My: Hops Walk-Off in 12

July 21, 2015 - Northwest League (NWL1)
Hillsboro Hops News Release


Hillsboro Hops Celebrate Walk-Off Win
Hillsboro Hops Celebrate Walk-Off Win
(Hillsboro Hops, Credit: Kevin N. Hume/Hillsboro Hops)

HILLSBORO, OR - JULY 20: The Hillsboro Hops vs Everett Aquasox play at Ron Tonkin Field in Hillsboro, OR. (Kevin N. Hume/Hillsboro Hops) (Craig Mitchelldyer, Kevin N. Hum)

HILLSBORO, OR - He isn't a mammoth man, but he sure carries a big stick. After the Hops battled back to tie Everett at three apiece in the seventh inning, Hillsboro second baseman Fernery Ozuna - all 5'8", 170 pounds of him - laid into an Everett fastball in the bottom of the 12th inning to send a no-doubt walk-off home run over the Frontier Family Berm in left to post a 4-3 victory for the home team.

The two teams entered tonight's game tied with the best record in the Northwest League at 18-13. With their victory tonight, the Hops now hold the top record in the circuit. The win proved to be critical in the pennant chase in the first half of the NWL-South Division as Salem-Keizer, who Hillsboro leads by just one game in the division, posted a victory over the Tri-City Dust Devils.

The scoring got started immediately for visiting Everett. Hops shortstop Sergio Alcantara fielded a ground ball hit by Everett's Drew Jackson and threw it away. Jackson would come around to score on an infield single by Everett's Corey Simpson that Alcantara had a play on, but couldn't complete.

Everett's initial run would receive a quick response from Hillsboro the following frame when Hops first baseman led off with a single and moved to third on a gap shot by catcher Alexis Olmeda. Gerard Hernandez followed with an RBI groundout to knot it at one.

The AquaSox tacked on lone runs in the third and fifth innings to extend the lead to 3-1, but Hillsboro starter Tyler Bolton hung in very well to give his team a chance to win. The opening-day starter got through seven innings allowing three runs, and only two earned.

Hillsboro came back to tie the game at three in the seventh inning. After the first two batters of the inning were quickly retired, Alcantara walked and moved to second on an errant pickoff attempt. Ozuna, who finished the game 3-6 with two driven in, singled to score Alcantara. Ozuna himself would be plated by a Luis Veras double into the gap in left field.

Hops pitcher Cameron Gann would enter, and was a hero for the home team. He hung zero after zero on the Frogs, and posted four scoreless innings of relief, allowing only two hits and striking out five.

After his four spotless frames, Will Landsheft entered to post a zero in the top of the 12th, and set the stage for Ozuna in the bottom.

A switch-hitter, and batting right-handed, the powerful Ozuna let one rip against Everett lefty Matt Clancy. The sound of the ball hitting the bat left little doubt, and if it did, Ozuna's reaction immediately erased it. The ball sailed far over the fence in left as he spiked his bat in celebration and was mobbed by his teammates to put the capper on a critical pennant-chase 4-3 win.

Same time tomorrow for the Hops and Frogs. Tune into pregame radio on Rip City Radio 620 AM or at www.ripcityradio.com.

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Hillsboro Hops Celebrate Walk-Off Win
Hillsboro Hops Celebrate Walk-Off Win
(Kevin N. Hume/Hillsboro Hops)		   



Northwest League Stories from July 21, 2015


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