May 28 (Hillsboro, OR)-In a back-and-forth offensive battle, with five total home runs, the Hillsboro Hops got the 8-7 win over Everett on Thursday night. Slade Caldwell led the game with a perfect night at the plate, going five-for-five with a home run. Junior Sanchez and Kyle Ayers combined to strike out eleven batters, with Ayers credited with the win.
Sanchez got the start for Hillsboro today, throwing six innings. Sanchez allowed two runs, with both Matthew Ellis and Anthony Donofrio hitting solo homers off of him. Sanchez struck out eight in his time on the bump.
For Everett, Chase Centala started on the mound. Centala went 5 1/3 innings before exiting the game after giving up his first walk of the day. He recorded two strikeouts and allowed only three hits, two of which were to Slade Caldwell. Caldwell also drew the walk that ended the day for Centala. Sam Whiting took over, and the Hops took advantage with Alberto Barriga doubling to send Caldwell home and score the Hops' first run of the game, 2-1. The run was charged to Centala.
Ayers took over for Sanchez and was met with a similar fate, giving up a two-run bomb to Luis Suisbel to put Everett up 4-1.
The Hops inched towards the AquaSox lead, with Avery Owusu-Asiedu starting the bottom of the seventh off with a double. Brady Counsell bunted to advance Owusu-Asiedu, and Modeifi Marte hit an RBI single to make it 4-2. That set it up once again for Caldwell, who took the opportunity to take the game into his hands and hit a two-run homer to tie it up 4-4.
AquaSox hitter Brandon Eike singled in the top of the ninth, and Ellis drew a walk to put runners on first and second. Carlos Jimenez hit a double to drive in both runners and give Everett the lead once again at 6-4. Both runs were charged to Ayers, who allowed four runs and four hits in three innings, recording two strikeouts.
Marte hit a leadoff solo home run in the bottom of the ninth to make it 6-5. Trent Youngblood had a ten-pitch at-bat that ended with a hit by pitch to reach base. Barriga singled, putting Youngblood on third, and Caldwell drove him in with his fourth hit of the day, tying the game at 2-2 with two on and no outs. A lineout to right field by Yerald Nin put runners on the corners, and Adam Smith was intentionally walked to load the bases. A strikeout by José Mejía was the second out of the inning, and Owusu-Asiedu flew out to center field to send the game into extras.
In the tenth, Ayers gave up two walks, and with a ghost runner on the bases, the bases were loaded. Ayers was then charged with a balk, scoring a run for Everett to put them up 7-6.
In the bottom of the inning, Marte grounded out, scoring a run to tie it again at 7-7. Youngblood drew a walk and was driven in by Caldwell, with his fifth hit of the game, giving Hillsboro an 8-7 win over Everett.
Game four of the series between the Everett AquaSox and Hillsboro Hops will begin at 6:35 PM at Hops Ballpark. The pregame show will begin at 6:20 PM on 620 AM Ripcity Radio and BallyLive.