Hops Answer Again, Rally Past Emeralds for 5-3 Win

Hillsboro, OR (August 12, 2026) - Hillsboro answered three runs in the top of the fifth inning with three runs of their own on Wednesday night thanks to home runs from JD Dix and Kenny Castillo. Rocco Reid and Luke Craig then struck out the final six batters of the game in the 5-3 win. The Hops have beat top Giants’ pitching prospects in back-to-back nights.

Patrick Forbes opened the game with two scoreless innings, including striking out the side after loading the bases with nobody out in the first.

The Hops’ comeback began in the bottom of the fifth. Eugene had broken through against Hillsboro reliever Joangel Gonzalez, using a two-run wild-pitch sequence and an RBI double from Zander Darby to take a 3-0 lead. But Hillsboro wasted little time responding. Dix led off the bottom half of the inning by launching a solo home run to right field for his first in Hillsboro and ninth of the year. After Yassel Soler reached on a throwing error, Ivan Luciano’s ground ball put Soler out at second, but Kenny Castillo followed by sending a two-run homer to right-center field to tie things at 3-3. Castillo’s blast was his fifth of the season and gave him two RBI on the night.

Alexis Liebano followed Forbes with two scoreless frames of his own through the middle innings, striking out four and allowing just one hit.

Hillsboro then took the lead in the sixth. Kayson Cunningham opened the inning with a soft line-drive single and moved to second when Carlos Virahonda walked. After Dix struck out, Soler delivered the go-ahead hit, grounding a single through to left field to score Cunningham. Soler’s RBI single put the Hops ahead 4-3, though Virahonda was thrown out trying to advance to third.

Hillsboro then added an insurance run again in the eighth. Cunningham reached on his second hit of the night, a single to left, and moved to third on a pair of productive outs. With two outs, Virahonda laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt that allowed Slade Caldwell to score from third, giving Hillsboro a two-run cushion.

Rocco Reid and Luke Craig made sure the lead held. Reid entered in the sixth inning and worked 2⅔ scoreless innings, striking out three. Craig then took over with one out in the eighth and slammed the door, striking out all four batters he faced to earn his first save of the season. Together, the two left-handers struck out the final six Eugene hitters of the game.

Cunningham finished 2-for-4 and scored twice, while Dix went 1-for-4 with a home run and an RBI. Castillo went 1-for-3 with his two-run blast, and Soler added the go-ahead RBI.

Eugene finished with six hits but went 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position and left six men on base. Hillsboro had six hits of its own and went 2-for-6 with runners in scoring position.

The Hops and Emeralds will meet again Thursday as Hillsboro looks to continue its run against Eugene after winning the first two games of the series. Tomorrow’s game will be on Rip City Radio 620 and Rip City TV locally in the Portland area.