Opportunity Walks and A.J. Blocks
May 16, 2025 - Northwest League (NWL)
Hillsboro Hops News Release
PASCO, Wash. - The Hillsboro Hops outhit the Tri-City Dust Devils for the third consecutive game Thursday night, but find themselves trailing the six-game series two games to one.
Adrian Placencia grounded a single past second baseman Cristofer Torin with the bases loaded and two outs in the sixth inning, plating the tying and go-ahead runs and former Washington State Cougar A.J. Block took care of the rest as the Devils (18-17) defeated the Hops 4-3 at a blustery Gesa Stadium.
Hillsboro (21-15) outhit Tri-City 11-4 in the game, but the Hops were undone by ten walks. Liam Norris (1-1) issued back-to-back, two-out bases on balls in the sixth after Arol Vera reached on a one-out single. Eli Saul took over on the mound to face Placencia and got the Tri-City second baseman to hit it on the ground to the right side. Torin tried to make a sliding stop, but the ball got behind him into shallow right as Vera and Randy DeJesus raced home to give the Devils the lead.
The Hops put two runners on base in the seventh and had the cleanup hitter Jansel Luis due up, but Block came on to retire the 20-year-old prospect on a ground out to short. After a 1-2-3 eighth, Block surrendered a leadoff pinch-hit single to Jackson Feltner in the ninth, but got J.J. D'Orazio to ground into a rally-killing double play before fanning Anderdson Rojas to close out his ninth save of the season.
Block has dealt with plenty of adversity since leaving Washington State. By returning to school to pitch his final year of eligibility, the 6-6 southpaw lost out on a draft opportunity due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which shortened the 2020 draft to just five rounds. Then Tommy John surgery sidelined him for 2 1/2 years before he was released by the Kansas City Royals following the 2024 season. Snapped up by the Angels. Block has been outstanding out of the Tri-City pen this season. Only Spokane's Welinton Herrera (10) has more saves and Block dropped his season ERA under one with last night's performance.
The game featured a highlight pitching matchup with Ryan Johnson--a reliever in the big leagues since opening day--making his minor league debut for Tri-City. Hillsboro's Daniel Eagen entered the game third in the Northwest League in strikeouts despite missing a start two weeks ago. Neither pitcher wrote the headline in this one.
The Hops battered Johnson for four hits, including back-to-back RBI doubles by Kenny Castillo and Ben McLaughlin and Johnson hit the showers with one out in the second inning after facing just eight batters.
Meanwhile, Eagen pitched 4 2/3 innings of no-hit ball. Problem is, he walked seven batters, including the bases loaded with none out in the second. A balk and a wild pitch brought home two runs to tie the score.
Hillsboro grabbed a 3-2 lead in the top of the sixth when Luis beat out an infield hit, went to second on a wild pitch and scored on Angel Ortiz's single to center. It was the only run allowed by righthander Jorge Marcheco, a Hops nemesis for three years now. Marcheco tossed four innings of piggyback relief, giving up five hits and no walks with three strikeouts, presenting a much different look than the hard-throwing Johnson.
Sam Ryan got the final two outs in the sixth and departed after a one out Rojas single and two out walk to Waldschmidt in the seventh, letting Block take care of the rest.
Peter Burns drew three of the ten Hillsboro walks. Ortiz, Rojas and Torin each had two hits for the Hops.
Northwest League Stories from May 16, 2025
- Keys Homers Twice But C's Falter in 9th - Vancouver Canadians
- A.J. for the Block: Closer Shuts Down Hillsboro, Cinches Win for Tri-City - Tri-City Dust Devils
- Opportunity Walks and A.J. Blocks - Hillsboro Hops
- Late Rally Falls Short Thursday - Vancouver Canadians
- Spokane Takes 3rd Straight in Eugene - Eugene Emeralds
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