Hops Blown Out, Lose Fifth Straight In Vancouver

BOX SCORE

VANCOUVER, B.C. --- Hillsboro’s pitching struggled from the outset on Saturday night at Nat Bailey Stadium, as six Hops pitchers combined to issue a franchise-record-tying 11 bases on balls in a 12-2 loss to the Vancouver Canadians. Hillsboro (8-12 in the second half, 37-47 overall) has dropped the first five games of the six-game series to Vancouver (13-6, 43-39), and the Hops have fallen five and a half games out in the second-half playoff race.

With Jamison Hill pitching for Low-A Visalia this week --- he didn’t have the proper paperwork to get into Canada --- the Hops went with a bullpen day, and Jackson Goddard got the start. He gave up a one-out first-inning triple to Leo Jimenez, but then struck out Dom Palmegiani. Suddenly, Goddard’s command deserted him, and he walked the next three batters, forcing home a run. Goddard was lifted after two-thirds of an inning, having thrown 32 pitches --- just 12 of them strikes. Jose Santamaria came in and limited the damage to one run by inducing Andres Sosa to ground out and strand the bases loaded.

Hillsboro tied the game in the top of the second when Caleb Roberts singled --- the first of his three hits on the night --- and advanced to third base on a throwing error. One out later, Jarrod Watkins was hit by a pitch, and Lyle Lin grounded into a force out to bring home a run.

It was still 1-1 going to the bottom of the third, when Jimenez led off the inning with his second three-bagger of the game. With one out, he scored on a single to right by Tyler Keenan.

Jimenez was at it again in the bottom of the fourth. After Santamaria walked Harry Ray, Anthony Morales tripled him home, and with one out, Jimenez clubbed a two-run home run, his third extra-base hit of the night. (Jimenez’s 10 total bases matched the second-most ever by a Hops opponent.) Later in the inning, another run scored when Julio Frias walked Sosa with the bases loaded.

Hillsboro got another run in the sixth on Lin’s second RBI ground-out of the game. He has driven home all three Hops runs over the past two games.

Vancouver put the game away --- and tempers flared --- during a four-run bottom of the sixth. Gerald Ogando gave up a booming double to center by Palmegiani, and two batters later, Miguel Hiraldo belted a long two-run homer to left. After a pitch nearly hit Garrett Spain in the feet, words were exchanged between Ogando and one of the Canadians. Both benches and bullpens emptied. No punches were thrown; in fact, players on the two teams never really got close to each other, as peacemakers on each side kept teammates at bay. The umpires did issue warnings to each dugout.

Play resumed, and Ogando gave up another home run, this one to Sosa. Harry Ray followed with a triple, and he scored on a wild pitch to make it 10-2.

Vancouver added two runs in the seventh, and the Hops lost their manager for the remainder of the game. Hugh Fisher had come out of the bullpen, and after striking out the first man he faced, he hit the next two batters. With the dugouts having been warned already, Fisher was ejected from the game, and by rule, his manager was ejected too. Dillon Larsen replaced Fisher, and both inherited runners scored on another bases-loaded walk --- the third of the game issued by Hops pitching --- and a sacrifice fly, to make it 12-2.

Roberts went 3-for-3 with a walk, and he scored both Hops runs. Bliss went 0-for-5, and his seven-game hitting streak came to an end.

Justin Kelly earned the win with three scoreless innings in relief of C’s starter Jimmy Robbins. Santamaria took the loss.

Vancouver hit four triples, matching the most ever by a Hops opponent --- tying the mark Vancouver had set at Ron Tonkin Field three weeks ago (June 25th).

Hillsboro will try to salvage the finale of the series on Sunday afternoon. First pitch will be at 1:05, with airtime at 12:50 on Rip City Radio 620AM and www.RipCityRadio.com.