July 29 (Hillsboro, OR)- The Hillsboro Hops racked up 12 hits against Everett AquaSox on Wednesday night. They held an 8-2 lead before allowing seven runs over the final two innings, giving the AquaSox a 9-8 win. Slade Cladwell led the night with three hits, as Yassel Soler, Kenny Castillo, and Jakey Josepha all had two hits apiece. Soler drove in three runs.
For Everett, in the top of the second, Carlos Jimenez drew a walk, stole a base, and was driven in on a ground-rule double by Aiden Taurek.
Carlos Virahonda was hit by a pitch to reach base to start off the bottom of the fourth. Soler singled, and Kenny Castillo brought in two to make it a 2-1 game.
A double by Anthony Donofrio and a single from Carter Dorighi scored a run for the AquaSox in the top of the fifth to tie the game at 2-2.
Josepha drew a walk for the Hops as the leadoff batter in the bottom of the fifth. He stole a base and scored as Slade Caldwell hit a triple. Kayson Cunningham then singled to score Caldwell and give Hillsboro a 4-2 lead over Everett. Virahonda singled, and Yassel Soler crushed a three-run bomb out to center field to extend the lead to 7-2.
Jakey Josepha kept the fun going in the sixth, singling to reach, and then stealing second and third. José Mejía hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Josepha, making it 8-2.
The AquaSox plated three runs in the top of the eighth. They started the inning with a walk, and the next batter reached on a fielder’s choice. A single scored one run and put runners on first and second. A balk advanced both batters into scoring position, and a ground-out fielder’s choice made it 8-4. A single put runners on the corners, and a sacrifice fly made it an 8-5 ballgame, scoring the final run of the inning.
In the top of the ninth, Ricardo Cova doubled, and Luke Stevenson hit a two-run homer to make it 8-7. A double, wild pitch, and a single tied the game at 8-8. Another double gave Everett a 9-8 lead. In the bottom of the frame, Virahonda hit a leadoff single, but a strikeout and a double play would end the day with Everett taking a 9-8 win over Hillsboro.
Hillsboro starter Junior Ciprian threw six innings, allowing two earned runs on four hits, and recording two strikeouts. John West pitched the final three innings, giving up five earned runs on eight hits, and walking two.
Game three of the series begins at 6:35 PM on Thursday with the pregame show airing on 620 AM RipCity radio at 6:20 PM.