Buddy is Everyone's Best Friend as Hops Take Series Opener

In their first game at home in over two weeks, the Hillsboro Hops defeated the Tri-City Dust Devils 7-4. Buddy Kennedy led the charge with three hits and six RBIs (runs batted in), including a grand slam and two-run double. Tristin English drove in Blaze Alexander for the go-ahead run in the bottom of the seventh.

Conor Grammes got the nod for the Hops in the first game of the series against the Dust Devils. The righty cruised through the first two innings, forcing a double play to end the top of the second. Tri-Cities starter Hector Yan struggled with his command in the bottom of the second, walking the bases loaded. That set the stage for Kennedy who delivered the grand slam to left center field.

The Dust Devils clawed back with a run in the top of third and added three more in the top of the fifth to tie the game 4-4. Grammes allowed one run over four innings. Kenny Hernandez took over and struggled through the fifth inning. However, the left hander would bear down and put-up zeros over the sixth and seventh inning.

With the game still tied at four entering the bottom of the seventh, Alexander led off with a triple to right field. Now with one out, English broke the tie with a clutch line drive single to left field. The Hops added two insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth when Kennedy came through yet again with a ground-rule double that drove in Leodany Perez and Tra Holmes. Kennedy tied the Hillsboro Hops single game record for RBIs with six. Kennedy also delivered the first Hops grand slam at Ron Tonkin Field since Josh Anderson on August 26th, 2016.

Hillsboro (14-16) and Tri-City (10-21) face off again tomorrow at 7:05 pm. Catch all the action on Rip City Radio 620 AM with pregame coverage beginning at 6:50 pm.