Hillsboro Hops, Francis Martinez Pound Everett Aquasox 12-6
The Hillsboro Hops exploded in the first inning, scoring twelve runs and sending 15 men to the plate making the Everett Aquasox’s home crowd dizzy watching all of the Hops going round the bases. All nine starters crossed the plate, sometimes twice. The Hops would score no more but they didn’t need to.
Despite the massive scoring, the Hops did it on only six hits in the inning. What helped was six batters getting a free pass to first base on five walks and one hit batter.
Starting pitcher for the Aquasox, Carlos Hernandez (0-1), did not make it through the first inning, leaving with one out, four hits, two walks, one hit batsman, the score 4-0 and the bases loaded after walking in a run. Hernandez would also be credited with three more runs when the base runners he left behind scored later in the inning. It was enough to saddle him with the loss. In total, Everett used six pitchers to get through the game. To the home team’s credit, their pitchers would strike out 13 Hops batters, just none in the first inning.

Matt Tabor started for the Hops. The right handed pitcher made it to the fifth inning before being relieved. After a run scored, two walks and two wild pitches in the inning, Kai-Wei Lin (1-0) came to the mound. The RHP from Taiwan walked Ryne Ogren for another run and Keegan McGovern slapped a RBI single to left field. Onil Pena lined to short for the final out. Lin also pitched the sixth, becoming the pitcher of record for the win. Trevor McKenna and Jayson McKinley pitched the final three hitless innings to maintain control.
After the dust settled from the Hops scoring frenzy, Everett tried inching their way back into contention scoring once in the second, twice in the third and fourth innings and one more time in the sixth. It still left them six runs behind. A combined 18 runs scored on the field.
It would be the Hops bats that would not be forgotten tonight. Scoring twelve runs on only nine hits, they also added eight walks and a hit batter stranding only five base runners for the game. First baseman Francis Martinez had the game’s lone home run with catcher Andy Yerzy on board. Centerfielder Tra’Mayne Holmes and Andy Yerzy added doubles for the only other extra base hits for the Hops.
Surprisingly, the Aquasox outhit the Hops 11-9, including four doubles. But they also left nine runners on base stranded. Connor Hoover led the home team going two for two and scoring twice. Adding his two walks, Hoover was able to reach base all four times at the plate.

The Hillsboro Hops (2-0) maintain a three-way tie for first place as Eugene and Salem-Keizer also won their game tonight. The Everett Aquasox (0-2) remain tied with Vancouver and Tri-City, one game behind the northern Division leader Tacoma.
Both teams return to Everett Memorial Stadium for the middle game of the five game match. LHP Orlando Razo (0-0) is expected to start for the Aquasox. The Hops starting pitcher has yet to be determined.
By
Greg Stoker
@GDStoker