Game 1:
On Saturday night, due to a malfunction with the lighting system, the Hillsboro Hops and Eugene Emeralds game was postponed to Sunday after just playing one full inning. The game resumed in the top of the second and the Eugene Emeralds were the victors by the score of
Game 1:
On Saturday night, due to a malfunction with the lighting system, the Hillsboro Hops and Eugene Emeralds game was postponed to Sunday after just playing one full inning. The game resumed in the top of the second and the Eugene Emeralds were the victors by the score of 2-1.
Justin Vernia (Hops) and Seth Corry (Ems) were the scheduled starters for Saturday's game. They both tossed a scoreless inning, but the bullpen took over for both clubs on Sunday. Austin Pope for the Hops and Conner Nurse for the Emeralds kicked off Sunday and entered a pitching duel into the middle innings.
The Hops struck first in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI single by Jorge Barrosa . Leodany Perez led off with a single and stole second base. With two outs, Barrosa delivered the clutch single to put the Hops on the board.
Pope was brilliant over four scoreless frames -- this past Tuesday, the right hander tossed three scoreless innings out of relief. However, just as in the Tuesday game, Pope's successor wasn't able to preserve the lead. After a scoreless sixth, Bobby Ay surrendered two runs to put the Ems back on top. Carter Aldrete drilled a one-out homer to tie it up and Brett Auerbach drove in the go-ahead run with a triple.
On the other side, Nurse gave the Ems six outstanding innings of relief while only giving up one run. Austin Reich tossed a scoreless eighth and Chris Wright finished off the ninth, recording his 14th save of the season to snap a three-game skid by the Emeralds.
Hillsboro (48-58) is playing a seven-inning second game to complete the series against Eugene (60-48).
Game 2:
30 minutes after the conclusion of Saturday's postponed game, the Hops and Emeralds commenced the seven-inning second game of the double header. Hillsboro fell 6-1 as Eugene earned a series split 3-3.
Blake Walston was the starter for the Hops and was countered by Jake Dahlberg . Walston tossed a scoreless first but got tagged for two runs in the second. After getting the first two batters out, Logan Wyatt drew a walk and big slugger Franklin Labour tattooed a two-run homer over the left field fence.
A couple defensive mistakes in the third led to three more runs for the Ems. After Ismael Munguia led off with a single, Brett Auerbach laid down a bunt back to Walston that he bobbled and could not get a clean throw to first base. The defensive struggles continued when Armani Smith lined a base hit to left field that bounced over Perez's head, turning what should have been a single into a two-RBI triple. The Ems added a final run on a sacrifice fly by Marco Luciano to make the score 5-0.
The Hops got on the board in the bottom of the fourth on a brief two-out rally. A.J. Vukovich and Axel Andueza singled and Nick Dalesandro walked to load the bases. Elian Miranda followed with a walk close the deficit to 5-1.
In the bottom of the sixth, Hillsboro put a little pressure on Dahlberg. Blaze Alexander led off with a single and Andueza grounded a base hit with one out. However, Dahlberg ceased the threat with back-to-back outs to continue his stellar pitching performance. Dahlberg finished after the sixth with three strike outs while allowing just one run.
That would be the last threat for the Hops as Nick Avila set them down with ease in the ninth to cap off the last home game of the season at Ron Tonkin Field.
Hillsboro (48-59) is scheduled to play the Tri-City Dust Devils in a six-game set starting on Tuesday at 7:05 pm. Catch all the action on Rip City Radio 620 AM and www.RipCityRadio.com with the pregame coverage beginning at 6:50.
