PASCO, WASH. --- The Hillsboro Hops ran themselves into an odd triple-play on Saturday night at Gesa Stadium, as they lost to the Tri-City Dust Devils, 8-6.
Spencer Brickhouse's three-run home run in the top of the second put Hillsboro up 3-0, but Tri-City came right back against Kenny Hernandez
PASCO, WASH. --- The Hillsboro Hops ran themselves into an odd triple-play on Saturday night at Gesa Stadium, as they lost to the Tri-City Dust Devils, 8-6.
Spencer Brickhouse's three-run home run in the top of the second put Hillsboro up 3-0, but Tri-City came right back against Kenny Hernandez in the bottom of the second, as Gareth Morgan, Kyle Kasser and Spencer Griffin all drove home runs. Hernandez buckled down to strike out Brendon Davis and Jordyn Adams to strand the bases loaded and keep the game tied 3-3.
Then came the top of the third. Dominic Canzone and Tristin English singled, and the count went to 3-2 on Andy Yerzy. Yerzy struck out on the next pitch, as English broke for second and got hung up. Tri-City catcher Franklin Torres threw the ball down to shortstop Livan Soto, and Canzone started for third base. Soto tossed the ball to third baseman Adrian Rondon , who ran Canzone back to second base as English also pulled into the bag. Both runners were tagged while they were off the base --- triple play, the first-ever involving the Hops.
To make matters worse, Tri-City took a 5-3 lead in the bottom of the third on run-scoring hits by Morgan and Kasser, then added two more in the fifth on a two-out, two-run single by Griffin. And when Francisco Del Valle singled home a run in the sixth, it was 8-3 Dust Devils.
Hillsboro made it interesting in the late innings. Jorge Barrosa and Canzone drew walks to begin the top of the eighth, and Chad Sykes came out of the Tri-City 'pen. English, the first man he faced, doubled to left-center to bring home Barrosa and make it 8-4. Sykes, however, struck out Yerzy for the first out of the inning. Up came Blaze Alexander, who had hit a three-run home run off Sykes on Wednesday. Sykes struck him out on three pitches, words were exchanged between the two, and the benches and bullpens emptied. After some minor pushing and shoving --- no punches were thrown --- order was restored and no one got ejected. Sykes then struck out Reece Hampton to end the inning.
The Hops went back to work in the top of the ninth. Brickhouse singled --- his third hit of the night ---Axel Andueza singled, and with one out, Barrosa doubled them both home to make it 8-6. Luis Ramirez was summoned from the Tri-City bullpen. He struck out Canzone, then retired English on a deep fly ball just to the left of straightaway center field to end it.
Hillsboro (24-35) will seek a series split against Tri-City (21-37) on Sunday night. Airtime will be an hour earlier than normal, at 5:50, with first pitch at 6:05 on Rip City Radio 620AM and www.RipCityRadio.com.
