Soler's Two Homers Power Hops Past Dust Devils, Snap Seven-Game Skid
NWL Hillsboro Hops

Soler's Two Homers Power Hops Past Dust Devils, Snap Seven-Game Skid

Published on July 8, 2026 under Northwest League (NWL)
Hillsboro Hops News Release


Pasco, WA - On a sweltering 99-degree evening at Gesa Stadium, the Hillsboro Hops finally found the breakthrough they had been searching for. Behind Yassel Soler's third career multi-home run game, a three-RBI performance from JD Dix and 2.2 dominant innings from reliever Rocco Reid, the Hops defeated the Tri-City Dust Devils 7-3 Tuesday night, snapping a season-high seven-game losing streak. The victory came at the expense of a Tri-City club that dropped its 10th consecutive game.

Soler wasted little time putting Hillsboro in front, launching a solo home run to right-center field in the second inning off Jose Atencio for his seventh homer of the season. The blast gave the Hops a 1-0 lead and marked the beginning of another big night for the Hillsboro third baseman.

The Hops added two more runs in the third. José Mejía started the rally with a double to left field before JD Dix lined an RBI single to center, scoring Mejía. After a pickoff throwing error moved Dix into scoring position, Trent Youngblood brought him home with an RBI groundout to make it 3-0.

Hillsboro starter Rio Britton worked around early traffic and received a highlight from his battery mate in the opening inning. Catcher Carlos Virahonda erased David Mershon trying to advance to third base on a perfectly executed pickoff, helping Britton strand an early threat.

The Hops added to the lead in the top of the sixth. Kenny Castillo singled before Soler crushed his second homer of the night over the left-field wall, extending the advantage to 5-0. It was Soler's eighth home run of the season and his third career game with multiple long balls and the 26th time a Hop has had two homers in a game.

Britton cruised through five scoreless innings before Tri-City mounted its only serious rally in the sixth. Capri Ortiz doubled to open the inning, and Harold Coll followed later with an RBI single to put the Dust Devils on the board. After an error extended the inning, Peter Burns added an RBI fielder's choice to trim the deficit to 5-2.

With three runners aboard and only one out, Hillsboro turned to Reid, who dominated over 2.2 innings. The left-hander induced the inning-ending force out before striking out Aaron Graeber, leaving the tying and go-ahead runs stranded.

Hillsboro added an insurance run in the seventh as Carlos Virahonda reached on an error and José Mejía followed with his third hit of the night. After Slade Caldwell drew a walk to load the bases, Dix ripped a two-run double into left field, scoring Virahonda and Mejía for a 7-2 advantage.

Mejía finished 3-for-4 with a double, two runs scored and a stolen base, recording his second three-hit game of the season. Dix went 2-for-4 with a double, three RBIs and a walk, while Soler finished 2-for-4 with two home runs, three RBIs and two runs scored.

Reid was the story out of the bullpen. Entering with the bases loaded in the sixth, he retired eight consecutive batters at one point and did not allow a hit over 2.2 scoreless innings. Reid struck out four while walking one to earn his first hold of the season and preserve Britton's fourth victory.

Britton (4-3) allowed two runs-only one earned-on five hits over 5.1 innings, striking out five. Alexis Liebano recorded the final three outs despite allowing a run in the ninth in his return to a Hillsboro uniform.

Tri-City managed just six hits and struck out 12 times. Ortiz accounted for two doubles, while Johan Macias drove in the Dust Devils' final run with a ninth-inning double.

The Hops finished with 10 hits, led by multi-hit performances from Soler, Mejía and Dix, while improving to 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position.

After enduring a frustrating seven-game slide, the Hops will look to build momentum when the six-game series continues Wednesday night at Gesa Stadium.

Check out the Hillsboro Hops Statistics

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Northwest League Stories from July 8, 2026


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