Three Hops Bombs Spark 4th of July Victory

In a sellout crowd of 5,200 at Ron Tonkin Field, the Hillsboro Hops bats exploded for three homers on the 4th of July to defeat the Eugene Emeralds 6-1. In his best outing of the season, Kenny Hernandez earned the win (3-2) and blanked the Ems over seven innings. Dominic Canzone, Spencer Brickhouse, and Tristin English homered to help Hillsboro win the last three games and split the series against Eugene.

The Hops struck early when Canzone (4) drove a one-out first inning homer over the right field fence. After the early blow, Hernandez and Eugene pitchers Taylor Rashi and Nick Avila traded zeroes over the next three innings.

After a one-two-three fifth inning by Hernandez, Canzone and English each delivered an RBI single to put the Hops up 3-0. Another key blow was dealt in the bottom of the sixth when Brickhouse (3) blasted a two-run shot.

Despite Hillsboro's impressive offensive display, it was the pitching of Hernandez that stole the show. The Hops left hander tossed seven innings of shutout ball with only one walk and nine punch outs.

The nail in the coffin came from English (2) on a towering home run to left center field to put the Hops up 6-0. Coming out of relief for Hernandez, Nick Snyder delivered a scoreless eighth inning. The Ems answered back with their lone run of the game before Denson Hull closed the door in the ninth.

After three tough losses to open up the series against the first place Emeralds, the Hops answered back with three straight of their own to earn a series split. Canzone and Brickhouse led the way on the offensive side with two hits and two RBIs apiece.

Hillsboro (22-30) will begin a road series against the Tri City Dust Devils on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. The game will air on Rip City Radio AM with the pregame coverage beginning at 6:50 p.m.