Three-Run Homers, Missed Opportunities Lead to Loss in Eugene
NWL Hillsboro Hops

Three-Run Homers, Missed Opportunities Lead to Loss in Eugene

July 2, 2025 - Northwest League (NWL)
Hillsboro Hops News Release


EUGENE, ORE. - The Hops squandered chance after chance to seize control of the game. It was there for the taking.

And then, suddenly, it wasn't.

Three times in the first six innings Hillsboro loaded the bases with fewer than two down, but scored just one run out of all that. Time after time they had a chance to snap a 1-1 tie, but couldn't do it. And then Eugene catcher Drew Cavanaugh hit a three-run homer in the sixth, and Ems' shortstop Zane Zielinski hit another three-run blast in the eighth, and Eugene cruised to a 7-2 win in the series opener on Tuesday night at P.K. Park.

The Hops wasted a strong start from newcomer Denny Larrondo. The right-hander from Cuba --- just up from Low-A Visalia --- worked five strong innings, allowing just two hits and an unearned run, with no walks and seven strikeouts. The only run he allowed came in the bottom of the first, when speedster Jonah Cox tripled to right field, and scored when Jansel Luis' short-armed throw back into the infield got away.

The Hops' first big chance came in the second inning, when Cristofer Torin, Druw Jones and Angel Ortiz all singled. With one out and the bases loaded, Kevin Sim trickled a ground ball to second, scoring Torin to tie the game, 1-1. But catcher Gavin Logan flew out to center field to strand runners at second and third.

In the fifth, the Hops again loaded the bases with one out on singles by Sim, Slade Caldwell, and (on a bunt) Anderdson Rojas. They had their number-three and number-four hitters coming up, but Ben McLaughlin popped out to third and Torin flew out to shallow left.

But the inning the Hops regret the most came in the top of the sixth. Right-hander Tyler Vogel came in to relieve Ems' starter Josh Bostick, and allowed singles to the first three batters he faced, Luis, Jones, and (again on a bunt) Angel Ortiz. With the bases loaded and none out, the next three hitters all struck out. Sim chased what would have been ball four on a 3-2 pitch. And Logan and Caldwell were each caught looking.

In the bottom of the sixth, Casey Anderson came out of the Hops' bullpen to replace Larrondo. (Anderson was available in relief, as his slot in the rotation has been moved this week from Wednesday to Sunday.) With one out, Anderson walked Emeralds leadoff batter Scott Bandura. With two out, Bo Davidson singled up the middle. And Cavanaugh followed with his opposite-field three-run shot to left-center, and it was suddenly 4-1 Eugene.

Hillsboro immediately got a run back in the top of the seventh on consecutive one-out doubles by McLaughlin and Torin, but Torin was picked off and caught trying to steal third base for the final out of the inning. And the Hops wouldn't get another runner on base against Eugene relievers Cam Pferrer and Ben Peterson.

Zielinski put the game away with a three-run homer off Hops lefty Rocco Reid in the bottom of the eighth. All three runs were unearned because of a one-out error by Rojas at third.

The Hops have now dropped 12 of their last 13 games. They're 1-9 in the second half and seven games behind first-place Tri-City. Eugene is 7-2 in the second half, in second place, just a half-game out.

Jones had two singles and a double in his first three at-bats, giving him six consecutive hits going back to his final three plate appearances on Sunday.

The six-game series continues with a pair of games on Wednesday and Thursday in Eugene, then shifts to Hillsboro Ballpark for the final three games, Friday through Sunday. There will be Independence Day postgame fireworks shows in Hillsboro on both Friday, July 4th, and Saturday, July 5th.

Game two of the series from P.K. Park in Eugene will be at 6:35PM on Wednesday, with the radio pregame show at 6:20 on Rip City Radio 620AM and at www.RipCityRadio.com.

Check out the Hillsboro Hops Statistics



Northwest League Stories from July 2, 2025


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