Hops Get Timely Two-Out Hits in 6-2 Win over Eugene
Eugene, OR (August 23, 2025) – Hillsboro and Eugene met for the penultimate time of the 2025 season on Saturday at PK Park. Hillsboro got out to an early lead on a solo home run by Junior Franco, who ended up reaching base four times in the game while driving
Eugene, OR (August 23, 2025) – Hillsboro and Eugene met for the penultimate time of the 2025 season on Saturday at PK Park. Hillsboro got out to an early lead on a solo home run by Junior Franco, who ended up reaching base four times in the game while driving home three runs. Slade Caldwell added three hits and the Hops defense turned a couple of timely double plays, in the 6-2 Hops’ win.
Franco hit a solo home run to get the scoring started in the second inning against Josh Bostick. Bostick, who struck out 21 batters and allowed just one earned run over his two starts last week would have a tougher time on Saturday. Franco’s seventh home run of the season gave Hillsboro a 1-0 lead.
Ricardo Yan started the bullpen day for the Hops and pitched three scoreless innings. Eugene had runners on first and second with none out in the third, but Yan got a timely double play to avoid any damage in the inning.
Jakob Christian homered on a fly ball to right center field against Joangel Gonzales in the fourth to momentarily tie the game at one. Hillsboro then chased Josh Bostick from the game in the next half inning as they sent all nine batters to the plate. Four singles in the inning, a walk and a hit-by-pitch allowed three runs to score. Druw Jones had a two-out RBI single and Junior Franco followed with a two-out two-RBI single to make it 4-1.
Eugene loaded the bases in both the seventh and eighth innings against Hillsboro pitching, but they only got one run. A sacrifice fly by Luke Shliger in the 7th made it a 4-2 game, but the Hops answered. Hillsboro loaded the bases themselves in the eighth, scoring on an RBI single by Anderdson Rojas and a groundout to make it 6-2.
Carlos Rey came in for the Hops and struggled with his command, again loading the bases, but he would get an inning-ending double play to escape the eighth inning. Eugene got two more runners on base in the ninth, but Rey struck out Jonah Cox to leave the tying-run on deck to end the game.
The Emeralds were 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and left nine runners on base.
The final game of the series will be tomorrow at PK Park, with first pitch at 1:05 and the pregame show starting at 12:50 on Rip City Radio 620 am.