Hillsboro Hops’ Bats Club Everett Aquasox, 12-4
The Hillsboro Hops exploded in the first inning for eight runs and kept the Everett Aquasox at arm’s length for a 12-4 victory. Twelve batters came to the plate as the Hops easily batted around the order. There was one double, three singles, four walks and a batter hit by a pitch to go with the eight runs scored.
With the score board already showing 3-0 and two outs, starting pitcher Cody Mobley was relieved by Jose Santiago. It didn’t get any better for the Aquasox. Connor Owings walked with the bases loaded scoring Kyle Smith. Billy Endris walked scoring Luke Lowery. With the bases loaded, Yan Sanchez doubled to left field clearing the bases. Eudy Ramos who had an RBI single earlier in the inning, flied out to right fielder Ronald Rosario to mercifully end the inning. From there, the Hops were able to cruise the rest of the way adding four more runs before the end.
Everett made it to the score board in the fourth inning when Joe Venturino lined a homer over the left field fence. Brayan Hernandez followed later in the inning with an RBI single scoring Ronald Rosario from second. Eugene Helder tripled in the fifth and came home on a Greifer Andrade single. The Aquasox final score came in the sixth on a Joseph Rosa solo homer to right.
The Aquasox three inning flurry cut the Hops lead in half, 8-4. The Hops gained it all back in a four run eighth. All nine Hops batters came to the plate. Paxton De La Garza singled followed by a Stephen Smith walk. Billy Endris’ RBI single scored De La Garza. Smith scored on a fielding error by shortstop Joseph Rosa. Endris and Yan Sanchez scored on a second Rosa fielding error of the inning. The final score was 12-4 and the ninth inning was just a formality.
Carlos Hernandez started for the Hops. Hernandez was the NW League pitcher of the year for the Hops in 2015. Making a short visit during a rehab assignment for an elbow strain, Carlos showed the form that led the NW League in strikeouts. Carlos struck out six batters in four innings, being limited in time on the mound due to the injury rehab. Tyler Keefe (W, 1-0) pitched three and a third innings for the win.
The Hops bats were active tonight. They scored twelve runs on only eight hits but also had the bonus of ten walks to work with. Yan Sanchez went 2 for 6 with a double, one run and three RBI. Paxton De La Garza went 2 for 5 with a triple and scored a run. Billy Endris singled and walked twice, scoring three times. Endris is now on top of the league leader board with six runs scored. Eudy Ramos singled and scored to move up to third place in league standings with four runs. Domingo Leyba had the night off but is still tied for first on the league leader board with four RBI.
Cody Mobley (L, 0-1) started for the Aquasox and lasted two thirds of an inning before being chased by the Hops onslaught in the first inning for the loss.
Everett’s bats woke up during the middle innings. Both Joseph Rosa and Joe Venturino smacked a solo homer for half of the Aquasox scoring. Eugene Helder tripled and scored.
The Hillsboro Hops (2-1) regained first place in the Southern Division by a half game over the Boise Hawks (1-1). The Everett Aquasox (1-2) remain one game out of first behind the Vancouver Canadians (2-1) and the Tri-City Dust Devils (2-1) who are tied.
Both Teams will show up Sunday for a 4:05 pm afternoon game. Hillsboro leads the five-game series 2-1. Starting pitchers are expected to be RHP Connor Grey for the Hops and RHP Andre Torres for the Aquasox. Both pitchers are making their first starts of the season.
Player Photos by Craig Mitchelldyer-Hillsboro Hops
By Greg Stoker
@GDStoker