Hops Win on Wild Wednesday, 13-6

EVERETT, WASH. (April 9, 2025) --- The Hillsboro Hops used consecutive four-run innings to build an early 9-1 lead --- highlighted by a three-run home run from Ryan Waldschmidt --- and they overcame 14 free passes issued by their pitching staff (11 walks and three hit batters) en route to a 13-6 win on Wednesday night at Everett Memorial Stadium. The two teams combined for 26 free passes (21 walks and five hit batters), the most ever for a Hops game.

Hillsboro (4-1) has won four consecutive games, and they have a one-game lead on second-place Vancouver. Everett (2-3) has dropped three in a row.

Hillsboro plated an unearned run in the first inning, and loaded the bases with none out in the third against Everett starter Shaddon Peavyhouse. Demetrio Crisantes’ sacrifice fly made it 2-0, and then Waldschmidt unloaded --- a shot to left field well over the fence. His second homer of the season made it 5-0 Hops.

The Hops pieced together two walks, three hits and a wild pitch for four more runs in the fourth inning, including a two-run double from Cristofer Torin, and they led 9-1.

Hops starter Logan Clayton allowed one run in the first three innings, but given a big lead, he got wild in the bottom of the fourth, issuing a walk, a double and two more walks to force home a run. Jorge Minyety replaced him and hit the first batter he faced to force home another run and cut the lead to 9-3. With the bases still loaded and two down, Everett’s number-two hitter, Tai Peete, ripped a shot ticketed for right field… until Hillsboro first baseman Ben McLaughlin made a great diving backhand grab to save two runs and end the inning.

Jackson Feltner hit a solo homer to right for the Hops in the fifth to make it 10-3, and Hillsboro added three more in the seventh. Everett’s switch-pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje (“SAIN-juh”), expected to be Saturday’s starter as a right-hander, entered the game in the top of the seventh as a left-handed reliever. He struck out the first two men he faced, but followed that up with a pair of walks. Druw Jones then smoked a double to center to score both runners and make it 13-3. Jones ended the night 4-for-6 with three runs batted in, and Waldschmidt was 2-for-2 with the homer, two walks, a hit-by-pitch, a sacrifice fly and five RBIs. Five games into the season, Waldschmidt leads the league with a .600 batting average (9-for-15).

Hillsboro turned four double plays in the game, one shy of the franchise record. The 26 combined free passes matched the record for any game across the Northwest League since Hillsboro entered the circuit in 2013. (On June 16th, 2014, Vancouver and Salem-Keizer had combined for 26 free passes; and Eugene and Spokane did likewise on July 15, 2021.)

The game featured a bit of comedy in the top of the ninth inning, as Everett, trailing 13-4, sent a position player to the mound. First baseman Milkar Perez came in and lobbed ultra-slowballs to home plate, issuing three singles, but no runs. The Hops left the bases loaded. Remarkably, Perez was the only one of the 11 players to take the mound on Wednesday who did not issue a free pass.

Hillsboro’s four-game winning streak matches their longest from the 2024 season.

The six-game series continues on Thursday at 7:05PM. The radio pregame show will begin at 6:50PM on Rip City Radio 620AM and www.RipCityRadio.com.