Vancouver's Browns Bring Hops Frowns
June 17, 2023 - Northwest League (NWL)
Hillsboro Hops News Release
One of these days, Yu-Min Lin's record will more accurate reflect his effectiveness.
The 19-year-old southpaw once again pitched well enough to earn his first High-A victory, but fell victim to a lack of run support as the Hillsboro Hops went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position in a 2-0 loss at Vancouver in front of a sellout crowd at Nat Bailey Stadium Saturday.
With the win, the Canadians clinched a second series win over the Hops and lowered their magic number to clinch a first-half Northwest League title and championship series playoff berth. In advance of Saturday's other two league games, the C's hold a 2 1/2 game lead over second-place Spokane and are three games up on third-place Tri-City with four games to play before the cut-off.
Hillsboro outhit Vancouver 5-4 and three times had a runner in scoring position with less than two outs before falling for the ninth time in 11 games this year to its British Columbia rivals.
Devereaux Harrison pitched six scoreless innings for the second consecutive start for Vancouver. The second-year pro out of Long Beach State was part of a combined no-hitter in his previous start at Everett. This time he gave up leadoff singles in the second and third innings and a leadoff walk in the fifth, but was able to pitch out of trouble each time.
The Canadians squandered leadoff base runners in the second and third thanks to a pair of Hops double plays, but broke the scoreless deadlock in the fourth inning when leadoff batter Dasan Brown walked, stole second and raced home on Michael Turconi's double to left center field. Lin retired three straight to hold Turconi in place, then escaped trouble in the fifth inning after an Estiven Macado double, steal of third and walk to Lyle Lin, by inducing a third double play grounder from nine-hole hitter Jommer Hernandez. It was the second time in three games that the Hops turned three twin-killings.
Lin completed six innings, allowing just three hits and the one run with five strikeouts and three bases on balls. Harrison was equally effective, allowing four hits and two walks with four strikeouts.
In the Hops half of the sixth, Channy Ortiz hit a bolt into the left center field gap that eluded both Brown and left fielder Gabriel Martinez for a one-out triple. But Harrison fanned Ivan Melendez for the third time and retired J.J. D'Orazio on an easy fly ball to right, one of many lofted balls on this afternoon that failed to challenge the Canadians' outfield.
The C's added an insurance run in the seventh off Hillsboro reliever Eli Saul, pitching in his hometown. Again, a leadoff walk was the culprit, this time putting Devonte Brown on base. Josh Kasevich followed with a bounder past Melendez at first to put runners on the corners. Martinez drove in the run with a sacrifice fly to the warning track in right.
The Hops brought only one natural outfielder on the trip and nearly lost him in the eighth inning. Hernandez led off the bottom of the innings with a sinking liner to left center. Both center fielder Kevin Graham and left fielder Jonathan Guzman--an infielder by trade--went in full-speed pursuit and collided full-on as Graham somehow held onto the baseball. Guzman appeared to get the worst of the collision, but both players were able to finish out the inning. Listher Sosa was able to hang a zero to give the Hops a chance in the ninth.
Melendez broke his series-long hitless drought with a double off the base of the wall in right center with one out in the ninth, breaking a string of seven in a row retired by Vancouver reliever Abdiel Mendoza. But Mendoza fanned D'Orazio and retired Jesus Valdez on a grounder to short to polish off the shutout, earning his first save of the season.
Northwest League Stories from June 17, 2023
- Vancouver's Browns Bring Hops Frowns - Hillsboro Hops
- Harrison's Quality Start Leads C's to Win - Vancouver Canadians
- Van Scoyoc Vanquishes Sox, 7-2 - Everett AquaSox
- Tri-City Takes Advantage of Everett Errors, Squares Series - Tri-City Dust Devils
- Emeralds' Bats Stay Red-Hot Against Spokane En Route to 3rd Straight Win - Eugene Emeralds
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