Joe Gillette Homered Hops Past Aquasox 4-3
Joe Gillette homered with Andy Yerzy on base when the Hillsboro Hops needed some breathing room from their visitors, the Everett Aquasox. The Hops lead grew to 4-1 and it was just enough as the Hops won 4-3.
Eduardo Herrera Saves Win
The Aquasox chipped away until they came with one run and threatened to finish off the deficit in the ninth with the tying run in scoring position and the go ahead run at the plate with two outs. But, Eduardo Herrera came to the mound in the previous inning to get the Hops out of a jam. With runners at the corners in the eighth, Herrera struck out Miguel Perez to end the inning and the threat.
Now, one inning later, Herrera found himself again with a runner in scoring position with two outs. After a mound visit to steady nerves and to pep up Herrera, Eduardo quickly threw two strikes while keeping an eye out on DeAires Moses on second base.

Photo: Craig Mitchelldyer-Hillsboro Hops
Eduardo Herrera (S, 3) was credited with the save (and deservedly so) but the save came from the catcher this time instead of the pitcher. While Herrera threw the second strike, Moses sprinted to third. Catcher Nick Dalesandro quickly threw to third baseman Tristin English with plenty of time to tag the runner out and end the game.
Luis Frias Earns Win
Luis Frias (W, 3-3) has been one of the Hops top, if not the top, pitcher so far this season Leading the league in strikeouts with 72 strikeouts and counting (in less than 50 innings) underlines the dominance Frias is showing so far. Second place in the category is a distant 48. Tonight, Frias struck out five more in six innings for the win.
Damon Casetta-Stubbs (L, 3-1) started for the Aquasox and lasted four innings for his first loss of the season.
Return of Joe Gillette

Photo: Craig Mitchelldyer-Hillsboro Hops
The offensive star of the night was recent returnee Joe Gillette who had played with the Hops at the beginning of the season. Gillette earned a promotion to the Visalia Rawhide on June 24th and returned to the Hops on July 28th, last Sunday.
It became good timing on Joe Gillette’s part. He only went to the plate three times and one of those was a strikeout. The other two times at the plate was the difference in the ball game. In the third inning, Gillette walked and scored on Tristan English’s RBI single, the Hops first run of the game.
That score opened what might be called a small floodgate considering the low score of the game. In the sixth, with Andy Yerzy on first with a single, Joe Gillette smacked a homer over the left field fence to grow the score to 4-1. Everyone breathed easier with a three run lead.
Standings
The win maintained a three way tie in first place for the Hillsboro Hops (5-3) with the entire

photo courtesy of Hillsboro Hops
Southern Division winning tonight. In addition, the Boise Hawks and Salem-Keizer Volcanoes join the Hops in the three way tie. Despite the loss, the Everett Aquasox stay within one game of the Northern Division leading Spokane Indians who also lost tonight.
Consequently, both teams will return to Ron Tonkin Field tomorrow night for game three of the four game series. The Hops lead the series 2-0. Drey Jameson (0-0) takes the mound for the Hops. In his last appearance, Jameson pitched one inning giving up no runs or hits for the no decision. On the other hand, the Aquasox have yet to name their starter.
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Box Score
By
Greg Stoker
@GDStoker