Hillsboro Nine Wins It

EUGENE, ORE. --- The Hillsboro Hops exploded for the second-biggest inning in franchise history, plating nine runs in the top of the fifth on Saturday night at P.K. Park in Eugene, en route to an 11-5 win over the Eugene Emeralds.

The game was scoreless in the top of the fifth when Hops third basemanTristin English led off with a walk. With one out, Axel Andueza singled, and an errant pickoff throw to third brought English home with the game's first run. Ricky Martinez drove Andueza home with a single, and Tra Holmes belted his first home run of the season, an opposite-field shot that made it 4-0.

That was the end for Ems' starter Conner Nurse, who was replaced by Jasier Herrera. Leodany Perez singled, and with two out Cam Coursey doubled him home. Blaze Alexander singled for a run, and after English singled --- his second time reaching base in the inning --- Buddy Kennedy smoked a three-run blast to left to cap the nine-run frame.

Alexander added a two-run home run in the top of the seventh to extend the Hops' lead to 11-0, which proved important --- if only for the sanity of Hops manager Vince Harrison --- when Eugene plated five runs in the ninth inning, highlighted by back-to-back solo home runs by former N.C. State teammates Patrick Bailey and Will Wilson. Julio Frias got the final two outs to secure the win.

Somewhat lost in the offensive explosion was the performance of Hops starter Slade Cecconi. A first-round draft choice in 2020 --- he was taken with the 33rd-overall pick --- Cecconi tossed four shutout innings, allowing just one hit and one walk and striking out five. Matt Tabor then worked four shutout frames before allowing the five runs --- four earned --- in the ninth. He picked up the win.

The Hops' 13 hits and 11 runs were a season high, and the nine-run inning is second only to a 12-run frame the Hops posted at Everett on June 16, 2018.

The Hops will seek the series win on Sunday in the finale of the six-game set in Eugene. Airtime on Alt 102.3 FM will be 6:50, with first pitch scheduled for 7:05. Then, after an off-day Monday, the Hops return home to Ron Tonkin Field to face Vancouver on Tuesday in the opener of a six-game series.