Hops Blank Spokane in Series Opener
May 7, 2024 (Hillsboro, OR) – The Hops returned home from a 12-game road trip for their first game at Hillsboro Ballpark since April 21st. Kevin Sim had a pair of doubles and Joe Elbis pitched six scoreless innings in the Hops’ 5-0 win. Hillsboro opened the scoring against Victor
May 7, 2024 (Hillsboro, OR) – The Hops returned home from a 12-game road trip for their first game at Hillsboro Ballpark since April 21st. Kevin Sim had a pair of doubles and Joe Elbis pitched six scoreless innings in the Hops’ 5-0 win.
Hillsboro opened the scoring against Victor Juarez in the second inning when Kevin Sim roped a double down the left-field line, scoring Gavin Conticello who singled to leadoff the inning. Jose Fernandez and Juan Corniel went down in order to end the threat and keep the score at 1-0.
Meanwhile, Joe Elbis was dominant on the mound and only allowed one runner to reach scoring position through five. All five hits allowed were singles.
Elbis continued to control the zone throughout his outing, consistently getting ahead of hitters in the count and not walking a batter. He threw 79 pitches and struck out four over six scoreless innings.
Hillsboro got the first two runners on base in the sixth with Manny Peña’s second hit of the game and a walk by Jack Hurley. Neyfy Castillo flew out for the first out of the inning and then Conticello struck out for the second out. Christian Cerda hit a ground ball to with two outs to Dyan Jorge, but a wild throw scored two runs and allowed Cerda to reach all the way to third. Kevin Sim kept the party going with his second double of the game, making it 4-0. Sim is three for his last four with three doubles. Jose Fernandez flew out to end the inning. Hillsboro was just 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position in the game.
Juarez was charged with just one earned run for Spokane while striking out eight Hillsboro batters in six innings. He lowered his ERA to 1.85 on the season.
Christian Cerda added on an insurance run with two-outs in the eighth, but was thrown out at second base to end the inning.
Jhosmer Alvarez came in and closed the door with a one-two-three ninth and secured the shutout victory.
Game two of the series between Hillsboro and Spokane will be tomorrow at 6:05 with the pregame show starting at 5:50 on Rip City Radio 620 and Bally Live.