Tri-City Walks Away with Win Over Hops in Season Opener
April 6, 2023 - Northwest League (NWL)
Hillsboro Hops News Release
The Tri-City Dust Devils sent 11 men to the plate, breaking a 2-2 tie with a six-run seventh-inning outburst on the way to a 9-2 victory over Hillsboro in the season opener for both teams at Gesa Stadium in Pasco Thursday night.
Both starters came out of the gates hot in the first three innings on Thursday, as there were 18 batters up and 18 down to start the game. Dylan Ray struck out six over 3.1 innings, with John Swanda striking out five in four frames.
Five Hops pitchers combined to walk 10 batters and hit one, with leadoff walks in every inning from the fourth onward. The most walks by a Hops' pitching staff in a game is 11, which has happened four times.
The Hops outhit the home team 6-5, but 11 free passes and two errors proved too costly to overcome.
Arol Vera, a top 30 infield prospect in the Los Angeles Angels system, delivered the go-ahead blow, a two-run single off Hillsboro reliever Peniel Otano. Vera finished the night 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBI. Former Oregon Duck and South Salem Saxon Gabe Matthews reached base four times, going 2-for-3 with a double and two runs batted in.
Hops' catcher went 2-for-3 with a triple, walk and RBI in his Hillsboro debut. Jesus Valdez, also making his High-A debut with the Hops, had a pair of hits and a run batted in.
Hops' manager Ronnie Gajownik became only the second female manager in affiliated professional baseball and the first at the Advanced-A level.
The Hops and Devils return to action with game two of the series Friday night. First pitch is at 6:30 p.m. with pregame coverage beginning at 6:15 p.m. on Rip City Radio 620 AM.
Northwest League Stories from April 6, 2023
- Tri-City Walks Away with Win Over Hops in Season Opener - Hillsboro Hops
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