Series Split at Tri-City Ends in 4th Straight Shutout
July 31, 2023 - Northwest League (NWL)
Hillsboro Hops News Release
In the second battle of the week between low-investment, top-30 pitching prospects, the Angels' 2021 signee once again prevailed.
The Hillsboro Hops (36-60) dropped their series finale at Tri-City (47-49) 5-0 to the Columbia River Rooster Tails, but will win the season series 14-13 against the Los Angeles Angels high-A Northwest League affiliate.
Batting just .121 over the first five games of the series as a team, the Rooster Tails broke out offensively with 11 hits after collecting no more than five in any of the previous five games.
20-year-old Cuban right hander Jorge Marcheco, up to #21 in the recently updated MLB Pipleine list of top Angels prospects, gave up two hits and a walk in the first two innings before settling in and retiring the last 11 batters to face him. Marcheco, signed for just $35,000 in 2021, struck out seven over five innings to imrprove to 3-0 in four starts since being promoted from low-A Inland Empire. He is now 10-3 on the season overall.
Hard-luck, hard-thowing 22-year-old righty Yilber Diaz allowed three hits and two runs in the first inning before he settlled in. Diaz fanned the side in the fourth before departing with five strikeouts and zero walks, but still fell to 1-9 on the season. Diaz, who was inked for just $10,000 in February of 2021 by the Diamondbacks, has had some dominant outings this season, but little run support.
Little-used 5-foot-8 fireplug catcher Gustavo Campero continued to torment the Hops. After snapping a six-game hit streak with an 0-fer two nights previous, the Colombian backstop, formerly a Yankees property, socked a double and a solo home run, scoring two runs to pace the Rooster Tails.
The Hops got a leadoff single in the first inning from Wilderd Patino, but a potential rally never got off the ground as he was caught stealing by Campero. In the second, a one-out walk to Junior Franco and Kevin Graham single to right field put runners at the corners with one out. But Channy Ortiz popped out harmlessly and the Hops never put another runner on base against Marcheco.
Three Columbia River pitchers combined on a four-hitter, with former Texas Longhorn Jared Southard recording the final six outs for his first NWL save and third of the season.
Hillsboro, after an off-day Monday, welcomes in first-half champion and second-half leading Vancouver for a six-game series starting Tuesday night at 7:05 p.m. Pregame coverage on Rip City Radio 620 AM begins at 6:50 p.m.
Northwest League Stories from July 31, 2023
- The Spokane Indians Are Back - Everett AquaSox
- Conor Larkin Named NWL Pitcher of the Week - Vancouver Canadians
- AquaSox Take Series Finale 3-1 - Everett AquaSox
- Columbia River Turns Wheel of Shutouts, Blanks Hillsboro - Tri-City Dust Devils
- Series Split at Tri-City Ends in 4th Straight Shutout - Hillsboro Hops
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