The Hillsboro Hops faced an uphill battle entering the bottom of the 9th inning, trailing the Vancouver Canadians 8-3 on Sunday. What happened next was nothing short of a miracle, as the Hops orchestrated a six-run rally with two outs, snatching a 9-8 victory.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!After Jackson Feltner struck out swinging, Gavin Logan worked a critical walk, loading the bases for Tommy Troy, a former first-round pick by the Arizona Diamondbacks. Troy drew another walk to cut the deficit to 8-4.
Manuel Pena added to the drama, drawing yet another walk after a lengthy at-bat, bringing in another run and setting the stage for Gavin Conticello. The former eighth-round draft pick came through in the clutch, smashing a ground-rule double to right field that plated two more runs. It was Conticello’s third hit of the night and his 134th of the season, as he continues to impress with a .286 batting average in High-A this year.
With the game now within reach, Jose Fernandez stepped up and delivered the final blow. Fernandez ripped a single up the middle, driving in the tying and winning runs to complete the improbable comeback.
HOPS ALIVE!!! JOSE FERNANDEZ WALKS US OFF IN THE 9TH CAPPING OFF A 5-RUN COMEBACK! THIS IS HISTORY!!!#AllHoppedUp pic.twitter.com/FSUae7Gt0B
— Hillsboro Hops (@HillsboroHops) September 1, 2024
The Hillsboro Hops, Arizona’s High-A affiliate, finished the first half of the season just 3.5 games out of first place in the Northwest League standings. Currently, they sit seven games back in the second-half standings but have gained momentum with a four-game winning streak.
