It didn’t look good, but in the end the Hops earned a split on the road this past week at Tri-City.

After losing three of the series’ first four games by a single run apiece, Hillsboro defeated the Dust Devils on Saturday and Sunday to even the series at three games apiece and maintain their place atop the Northwest League standings.

The Hops are 23-16 overall this season and have a three game lead over second place Spokane.

Hillsboro led the league with a .257 team batting average over the past seven days, but were outpitched by Tri-City, tallying a 4.41 team ERA.

Jansel Luis and Cristofer Torin were two of four Hops players who hit over .300 during the course of the series, with Luis batting .476 with a home run and team best eight RBI.

Hillsboro starting pitchers performed well despite the mediocre team ERA, with the six starters combining to allow 11 earned runs over 28.1 innings.

The Hops’ Daniel Eagen was particularly impressive, while at the same time not, throwing 4.2 hitless innings, but allowing two earned runs thanks to seven base-on-balls.

With the series split with Tri-City, Hillsboro has yet to lose a series in 2025.

The Hops will host six games with Everett this week.

Organizational news and notes…The Diamondbacks called standout prospect Jordan Lawlar up from Triple-A Reno on May 12. The 22-year-old batted .336 with six home runs in 37 games this season at Reno…Former Hop and top prospect Kristian Robinson is batting .329 with five home runs and 16 RBI over his last 24 games at Double-A Amarillo…Third baseman Ruben Santana hit .350 over five games at Low-A Visalia this past week…Visalia relief pitcher Joangel Gonzalez made two appearances this past week and allowed no runs or hits while striking out six in 2.1 innings of work…Outfielder Corbin Carroll hit .308 with three home runs in six games last week…Merrill Kelly allowed one earned run while striking out 19 in 14 innings pitched with the Diamondbacks last week.

Below is a summary of last week’s Hops games at Tri-City:

May 13 – Tri-City 3, Hillsboro 2

Too little too late? Not on this night, for it was too much and ultimately too late for the Hops who fell 3-2 to Tri-City on Tuesday, May 13, in the first of six games at Gesa Stadium in Pasco, WA.

The Dust Devils turned a one-run deficit into a one-run win when Ben Gobbel scored the second of two ninth-inning runs on an Anthony Scull sacrifice fly.

The Hops built their lead with an RBI-single by Jansel Luis in the fifth inning, along with a Demetrio Crisantes sacrifice fly an inning later.

Hillsboro starting pitcher Daniel Nunez allowed a single run on just three hits over his 4.2 innings of work.

Philip Abner took the loss for the Hops, allowing two earned runs in just two-thirds-of-an-inning.

Tri-City starter Chris Cortez was solid for the Devils, allowing two earned runs on seven hits over six innings.

Ortiz led Tri-City with two hits, while Matt Coutney accounted for the team’s first run with a fourth inning home run.

Druw Jones and Ben McLaughlin had two hits apiece for Hillsboro.

May 14 – Hillsboro 11, Tri-City 8

Despite an early deficit, the Hops took control in the mid-innings and walked to victory in an 11-8 win over Tri-City on Wednesday at Gesa Stadium.

Trailing 3-1 after two innings, the home Hops scored two runs in the third and fourth innings, a single run in the fifth, two more runs in the sixth, and three runs in the eighth before a ninth inning Dust Devils comeback fell short.

Cristofer Torin led the Hops, going 4-for-6 with two RBI, while Anderdson Rojas, Jansel Luis and Junior Franco had two hits apiece.

Hillsboro’s Casey Anderson started the game on the mound and earned the win, allowing four earned runs in five innings of work.

May 15–Tri-City 4, Hillsboro 3

It was a Hops hit parade against the Dust Devils Thursday night, but in game decided by runs, it was Tri-City who came out on top in a 4-3 game at Gesa Stadium in Pasco.

Hillsboro outhit the Devils 11-4, but 10 walks by Hop pitchers more than made up for Tri-City’s lack of production.

The Hops took a 3-2 lead on a Angel Ortiz RBI-single in the sixth, but Adrian Placencia grounded a single past second baseman Cristofer Torin with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of that same inning, plating the tying and go-ahead runs.

Hillsboro starting pitcher Daniel Eagen didn’t allow a hit in his 4.2 innings, but walked seven batters en route to two earned runs.

Hops reliever Liam Norris took the loss, allowing two earned in one inning of work.

Ortiz, Torin and Anderdson Rojas all had two hits for the Hops.

May 16–Tri-City 3, Hillsboro 2

Despite a late rally to tie the game, it was Tri-City who had the last laugh when they plated what would amount to the game winner in the ninth inning.

After a Druw Jones double scored Cristofer Torin and tied the game 2-2 in the eighth inning, the home Dust Devils won the game 3-2 when Ryan Nicholson scored on a Ben Gobbel double to center field.

The double was Gobbel’s third of the night, with the third baseman finishing 3-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored.

Jansel Luis led Hillsboro with three hits and an RBI.

Hops starting pitcher John West threw seven solid innings, allowing two earned runs on five hits while striking out four.

Tri-City starter Austin Gordon was only slightly better, allowing one earned run on five hits, while striking out five and walking none in six innings of work.

May 17–Hilsboro 6, Tri-City 3

Following consecutive losses, the Hops got right with a 6-3 win over Tri-City on Saturday night in Pasco, WA.

The Dust Devils took a 1-0 lead in the bottom half of the first inning, but then watched the visiting Hops score two runs in the third, another in the fifth, two more in the seventh, and a final one in the eighth before Tri-City plated two in the bottom of the ninth.

Jansel Luis and Ryan Waldschmidt each drove in two runs for Hillsboro, while a stable of five Hops pitchers stymied Devils hitters for the bulk of the contest.

Tri-City starting pitcher Keythel Key allowed three runs over five innings to take the loss, while Hillsboro’s Jorge Minyety earned the win after pitching two hitless innings in relief.

May 18–Hillsboro 3, Tri-City 2

With three one-run losses under their belt over the course of the week, it was Hillsboro’s turn to win a close one, with the Hops defeating Tri-City 3-2 on Sunday, May 18.

The win secured Hillsboro a series split in their six-game set in Pasco.

The Hops took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning when Cristofer Torin scored on a throwing error by Devils pitcher Chris Cortez, but fell behind 2-1 when Joe Redfield hit a two-run home run on the bottom half of that same inning.

The two teams went scoreless over the next three innings before Jansel Luis returned the deep-fly favor, putting Hillsboro ahead 3-2 when he homered to center field in the top of the eighth inning, scoring he and Ryan Waldschmidt.

Pitching dominated the game, with both teams tallying three hits apiece.

Ricardo Yan pitched four innings and earned the win for Hops, while Leonard Garcia took the loss for Tri-City.