Hops Tie Franchise Record with Five Home Runs in Sixth Straight Win

Hillsboro, OR (August 5, 2026) - The Hillsboro Hops continued their torrid stretch Wednesday night, tying a franchise record with five home runs and extending their winning streak to seven games with a 10-5 victory over the Tri-City Dust Devils at Gesa Stadium. For the second consecutive night, Hillsboro pitching carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning. This time it was Jacob Steinmetz who set the tone, retiring the first 10 batters he faced before handing the ball to Rio Britton after four scoreless innings. José Mejía, Avery Owusu-Asiedu, Jose Alpuria, Kenny Castillo and Yassel Soler all homered in the win. Jose Alpuria couldn't have scripted a much better High-A debut, the center fielder reached base four times, going 1-for-2 with three walks while launching his first High-A home run in the third inning.

The Hops wasted little time grabbing the lead. Jakey Josepha opened the game with a single, advanced to third on José Mejía's groundout and came home on Kayson Cunningham's sacrifice fly to put Hillsboro ahead 1-0.

Steinmetz matched the early offense by cruising through four innings without allowing a hit. The right-hander struck out four, walked one and hit one batter while facing just 14 hitters.

Hillsboro broke the game open in the third. After Diosfran Cabeza and Josepha singled, Mejía crushed a three-run homer to left-center field for his fourth home run of the season. Two batters later, Alpuria followed with a solo shot to left-center in his first High-A game, stretching the lead to 5-0.

The long-ball barrage continued an inning later. Kenny Castillo opened the fourth with a solo homer before Avery Owusu-Asiedu hit his 12th home run of the year, giving the Hops four home runs through four innings and a commanding 7-0 advantage.

Tri-City finally recorded its first hit when Jorge Ruiz singled with one out in the sixth against Rio Britton, ending the combined no-hit bid. Britton worked around the baserunners by striking out Harold Coll before getting Ryan Nicholson looking to preserve the shutout.

Hillsboro added two critical insurance runs in the eighth after Alpuria drew his third walk of the game. Yassel Soler then launched a two-run homer to left-center, his 11th of the season and the Hops' fifth home run of the night, tying the franchise record for home runs in a game by five different players.

After Britton retired the first batter of the bottom of the eighth, Tri-City suddenly erupted. Hayden Alvarez doubled to start a string of six consecutive hits. Harold Coll's RBI single got the Dust Devils on the board before Ryan Nicholson, Kendrey Maduro and Kevyn Castillo each singled to load the bases. Capri Ortiz then brought the home crowd to life, belting a two-out grand slam to center field that trimmed what had been a 10-run deficit down to 9-5 in a matter of minutes. Britton regrouped after the homer, retiring Peter Burns on a lineout to end the inning before working around a two-out single in the ninth to secure his sixth win of the season.

The Hops added another run in the top of the ninth as Josepha tripled and later scored when Cunningham reached on a Tri-City error, restoring a five-run lead at 10-5.

Josepha finished 3-for-5 with three runs scored and a triple as Hillsboro scored 10 runs on just nine hits.

Britton (6-4) earned the victory, allowing five runs on 10 hits across five innings in relief while striking out six. Steinmetz's four hitless innings marked the second straight night Hillsboro starters carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning.

The Hops and Dust Devils continue their six-game series Thursday night at Gesa Stadium as Hillsboro looks to keep its winning streak alive.