Hops top Frogs to move over .500

HILLSBORO, OR - It was a game that felt eerily similar to Friday's thrilling come-from-behind victory for Hillsboro over Everett. In front of a sellout crowd of 4,866 on Saturday night, the Hops pulled off another comeback win to stun Everett by a final score of 3-2.

The AquaSox got off to a hot start, claiming a two-run lead after scoring a run apiece in each of the first two innings. Hops starter Junior Garcia would settle in and go on to post six innings of two run ball in his Hillsboro debut. Garcia flew in to Portland earlier in the afternoon after being reassigned to the Hops from long-A Kane County in Geneva, Illinois.

Facing a 2-0 deficit, the Hops struck back for a single run in the fifth. Mark Karaviotis led off with a single between the third baseman and shortstop, his first hit as a Hop. Manny Jefferson continued his strong recent form and lined a double to move Karaviotis to third with no outs. Connor Owings and Anfernee Grier couldn't do any damage and it appeared as though Everett may be able to escape serious trouble.

But pinch-hitter Marcus Wilson, batting for an injured Jason Morozowski, stepped in to line a single into left field. Karaviotis scored easily, but Jefferson was called out at home by plate umpire Ben Phillips after a strong throw by Everett's Austin Grebeck. The throw beat Jefferson by a mile, but it looked as though the lanky second baseman may have avoided the tag. Phillips saw otherwise and the inning was over.

The Hops would go on to take the lead for good in the bottom of the seventh inning. Karaviotis knocked another single and scored on a ringing triple by Owings into the left-field gap to tie the game at two. Adam Walton then knocked a floater into right field to plate Owings and take a 3-2 lead.

Jordan Watson came out of the pen for the Hops to work the eighth and retired a batter before exiting the game with an injury. "Touchdown" Tommy Eveld was called upon by manager Shelley Duncan for a five-out save.

Eveld would deliver, working out of a small jam in the eighth, and then around a hit batter in the top of the ninth to finish off the Frogs.

The win brought the Hops over .500 to a record of 15-14 as they continue to attempt to chase down the Eugene Emeralds. Hillsboro has claimed three of the first four games of the five-game set with Everett to win the series. They'll try to take four of five in Sunday's series finale, a 1:05 day game here at Ron Tonkin Field. Pregame radio starts at 12:30 on Rip City Radio 620 AM.