C's Take Five of Six from Hops
Hillsboro, OR (May 7, 2023) – The top five hitters in the Hops’ order were an efficient 8-for-20, but couldn’t get the clutch hit against a tough Canadians’ bullpen. Vancouver had four players with two-hit games, en route to a 12-hit performance. Despite going 3-for-17 with runners in scoring position
Hillsboro, OR (May 7, 2023) – The top five hitters in the Hops’ order were an efficient 8-for-20, but couldn’t get the clutch hit against a tough Canadians’ bullpen. Vancouver had four players with two-hit games, en route to a 12-hit performance. Despite going 3-for-17 with runners in scoring position and leaving 14 runners on base, Vancouver took the final game of the series 5-3 and won five of six against Hillsboro.
It was a bullpen day for both teams, with the Hops sending Eli Saul to the bump and the Canadians countering with Hunter Gregory. Saul had a good fastball going, consistently hitting 94 MPH and striking out three over two innings.
The Hops were able to get to Gregory for a big inning in the third on four hits in the frame. Channy Ortiz had his first of three hits in the game, an RBI double that gave the Hops a 1-0 lead. Jesus Valdez brought home Patino with a sacrifice fly, sending Ivan Melendez to the plate. Melendez mashed the ball to the deepest part of the park off the fence, missing his first High-A home run by inches. Instead, it resulted in an RBI double.
Gregory was chased from the game after allowing three runs in three innings on six base hits. The C’s offense picked him up in the fifth, sixth and seventh, scoring runs in all three innings.
Gabby Martinez had a two-hit game, giving him at least one hit in all six games of the series. Michael Turconi turned in a two-hit game as well, with two runs scored. The former Oregon Duck, Josh Kasevich, reached base four times, including a clutch two-RBI single in the 7th to give the Canadians a 4-3 lead.
The Hops loaded the bases in the seventh, but couldn’t come up with a run to show for it. The Canadians bullpen of Pardinho, Benson, Kelly and Fluharty combined to allow just two hits and no runs over six innings.
Vancouver got an insurance run in the ninth, taking a two-run lead to the bottom of the frame. Mason Fluharty came on and recorded the save, lowering his season ERA to 0.87.
Channy Ortiz was 3-for-5 with a double and RBI and Jesus Valdez extended his hit-streak to 10-games. S.P. Chen also added two hits for Hillsboro.
The Hops will head to Spokane for a six-game series starting on Tuesday before heading to Eugene the following week for six more games. The Hops will return home May 23rd.