Pasco, WA (July 8, 2026)- After seeing their 7-game losing streak come to an end one night earlier, the Hillsboro Hops couldn't keep the momentum going on Wednesday. The Tri-City Dust Devils responded with their most complete offensive performance in weeks, collecting 14 hits while every batter in the lineup recorded at least one hit in an 11-2 victory over the Hops at Gesa Stadium. The win snapped Tri-City's 10-game losing streak and evened the six-game series at one game apiece.
Tri-City wasted little time putting pressure on Hillsboro starter Brian Curley (4-4), scoring four runs in the opening inning. Jorge Ruiz and Capri Ortiz opened the game with consecutive singles before Harold Coll lined a two-run double to center field. Randy De Jesus followed with an RBI single, and Peter Burns added another run-scoring hit to cap the four-run frame and give the Dust Devils an early 4-0 advantage on six hits in the inning.
After Chase Shores retired the first nine Hillsboro hitters, the Hops finally broke through in the fourth. Shores’ best pro-outing came against the Hops earlier this year and after the three hitless innings on Wednesday, he had pitched eight hitless innings against the Hops in 2026. José Mejía singled before JD Dix and Carlos Virahonda ripped back-to-back doubles, with Virahonda's two-bagger driving home both Hillsboro runs to trim the deficit to 4-2. Kayson Cunningham followed with a walk to put the tying run aboard, but left fielder Jorge Ruiz threw Virahonda out at the plate on Yassel Soler's single before Jakey Josepha grounded into an inning-ending double play to halt the rally.
Tri-City answered immediately in the bottom half of the inning. Gage Harrelson singled to start the frame before the birthday boy Matt Coutney delivered a two-run double to left, extending the lead to 6-2.
Adrian Placencia added to the advantage in the fifth with a solo home run to right field, his fifth homer of the season, making it 7-2.
Curley settled in after the opening inning, striking out nine over five innings, but allowed seven earned runs on 12 hits in the loss. Luke Dotson followed with a scoreless sixth before Will Mabrey and Zane Russell worked the eighth.
The Dust Devils put the game out of reach in that inning, sending nine men to the plate and scoring four more runs. Jorge Ruiz delivered an RBI single before consecutive walks, a hit batter and a Hillsboro error helped Tri-City stretch the lead to 11-2.
The Hops managed seven hits but struck out 12 times and went 2-for-7 with runners in scoring position. Virahonda accounted for Hillsboro's only RBIs with his fourth-inning double. Mejía, Dix, Soler, Josepha and Avery Owusu-Asiedu each added one hit, with Owusu-Asiedu collecting his ninth double of the season.
On the mound, Shores allowed two runs over 4.2 innings before Benny Thompson (3-3), Dylan Phillips and Nicolo Pinazzi combined for 4.1 scoreless innings of relief, striking out seven to secure the victory.
Tri-City finished 6-for-16 with runners in scoring position, led by two-hit performances from Ruiz, Ortiz, Coutney, De Jesus and Harrelson. Coutney drove in three runs, while Coll added two RBIs and Placencia homered as the Dust Devils posted their highest run total during their recent skid.
With the series tied 1-1, the Hops will look to bounce back in game three of the six-game set Thursday night at Gesa Stadium.