Globe iconLogin iconRecap iconSearch iconTickets icon

Another Agonizing Loss at P.K. Park

Hops fall 4-3 to Eugene in 10 innings
July 23, 2021

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 Carter Aldrete , then scored the winning run on an error three pitches into the bottom of the tenth, coming away with a 4-3 victory in the third consecutive one-run game of the series.

Hillsboro (29-38) had broken a 1-1 tie with a pair of runs in the top of the ninth before Tyler Fitzgerald led off the bottom of the inning with a single to center off Hillsboro reliever Mailon Arroyo (1-1). After back-to-back strikeouts, Aldrete, whose uncle Mike played for the Giants and the 1996 World Series champion Yankees and father Rich played AAA ball, slugged a 2-2 Arroyo pitch over the wall in left, just out of the reach of the leaping Eduardo Diaz to even the score 3-3.

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 Nolan Dempsey's throw nearly pulled first baseman Sean Roby off the bag on an Axel Andueza grounder.

Knowing they needed only the one run to win, Eugene opted to bunt in it's half of the tenth to try to move Robert Emery to third base. After a foul bunt attempt, leadoff batter Ismael Munguia bunted back to the mound. The right-handed Arroyo spun around and threw wide of third baseman Tristin English, allowing Emery to score the game-winning run.

The Hops and Emeralds entered the ninth inning tied 1-1 when number nine hitter Roman Ruiz jumped on the first pitch from Austin Reich and roped a double into the left field corner. After Jorge Barrosa advanced Ruiz to third with a grounder to the right side, Dominic Canzone sizzled a sharp grounder past the drawn-in Ems infield into right field to score Ruiz. With two outs in the inning and Canzone at second after a stolen base, Andy Yerzy hit a shot over the head of right fielder Heath Quinn that one-hopped the short fence in right, giving the Hops what appeared to be a crucial insurance run.

Hillsboro scored the first run of the game on a 2-out RBI single by Leodany Perez in the second inning. Eugene answered in the bottom of the third on a Brett Auerbach solo home run to left center field, his third of the series.

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.