Another Agonizing Loss at P.K. Park
We are now halfway through the most important series of the year and the Hillsboro Hops and Eugene Emeralds have certainly not lacked for drama. Down to their final strike in the ninth, the Emeralds (40-28) tied the game on a two-run homer by Carter Aldrete , then scored the
We are now halfway through the most important series of the year and the Hillsboro Hops and Eugene Emeralds have certainly not lacked for drama.
Down to their final strike in the ninth, the Emeralds (40-28) tied the game on a two-run homer by
Hillsboro (29-38) had broken a 1-1 tie with a pair of runs in the top of the ninth before
The Hops went down in order in the top of the tenth, with Eugene getting an out on a close play at first when second baseman
Knowing they needed only the one run to win, Eugene opted to bunt in it's half of the tenth to try to move
The Hops and Emeralds entered the ninth inning tied 1-1 when number nine hitter
Hillsboro scored the first run of the game on a 2-out RBI single by
Both starting pitchers departed with the game tied at one. Hillsboro's Slade Cecconi allowed just four hits in seven innings and struck out ten without a walk. He hit two batters, but neither advanced. Armani Smith had to leave the game after being hit on the right wrist by a Cecconi pitch in the first inning.
Eugene's Nick Avila walked five batters over his 5 1/3 innings, but for the second straight night the Hops were unable to take advantage.
Taylor Rashi (5-2) picked up the win in relief, retiring the Hops side in order in the tenth after Reich allowed five hits and two runs in 3 2/3 innings. Nick Snyder struck out the side around a one-out walk in the eighth before giving way to Arroyo, who blew his third save in five opportunities with the Hops.
Canzone's hit extended his hitting streak to 10-games, matching a season-high set by three other players. Auerbach has now hit in eight straight for Eugene and homered in the last three. English reached base four times, going 2-for-3 with a double and two walks. Aldrete and Munguia each had two hits for Eugene.
The Hops had not played an extra-inning game since the opening series of the season and fell to 0-3 in overtime this year. The team went 33-15 in extra innings in seven years in the short-season single-A Northwest League, with their last win coming at P.K. Park, a 3-2, 10-inning win against the Emeralds on August 22, 2019.
The Hops and Emeralds resume the series with game four Friday night. Pre-game airtime is at 6:50 p.m. with first pitch at 7:05 on Rip City Radio 620 AM.