July 23 (Hillsboro, OR)- The Hillsboro Hops took game three against the Vancouver Canadians on Thursday night with an 8-5 win. José Mejía led the night with two hits, a walk, and four RBI, including a three run homer to give the Hops the final lead of the night.
In his first outing as a Hop, pitcher Junior Ciprian had a rocky start, with three walks and a double putting the Canadians up 2-0 in the first. A passed ball, wild pitch, and stolen base off Carlos Virahonda also contributed to the runs scored.
Slade Caldwell and Kayson Cunningham both drew walks to start the second. Virahonda capitalized on the base runners and doubled to put the Hops on the board, down 2-1.
After two singles and a walk loaded the bases again for Vancouver, two sacrifice flies put them up 4-1.
Mejía reached on a fielder’s choice in the third, and Kayson Cunningham drew a walk. They were both driven in on a single by JD Dix to inch their way back to the Vancouver lead, 4-3.
Avery Owusu-Asiedu singled in the fourth, and then Diosfran Cabeza followed up with a double, but Owusu-Asiedu got out at home on the play. Caldwell then walked to put runners on first and second, which prompted a pitching change. Starter Holden Wilkerson was replaced by Jack Eshleman. Mejía singled to bring in a run and make it a 4-4 ballgame.
Ciprian racked up seven strikeouts through 4.2 innings. Alexis Liebano pitched one out, striking out one, and then John West took over in the top of the sixth. A ground-rule double and two singles loaded the bases, and a double play scored one run to put Vancouver up once again, 5-4.
The lead did not last long, with Brady Counsell reaching on a dropped third strike and then advancing to third on a throwing error by Vancouver's first baseman, Peyton Williams. Owusu-Asiedu singled to tie the game once again at 5-5 in the bottom of the sixth.
Owusu-Asiedu reached via walk in the eighth, and Caldwell was then hit by a pitch to put two on. Mejía took the momentum of the game back with a three-run bomb to give the Hops an 8-5 lead. West pitched a scoreless ninth, with Mejía sealing the deal with an incredible defensive double play.
West tallied three strikeouts over four innings. The Hops pitching staff held it down with eleven combined strikeouts, while the hitters managed nine hits.
Game four of the series begins at 6:35 PM on Friday in Hillsboro. The pregame show begins at 6:20 PM on 620 AM RipCity Radio.