Outfielder Junior Franco (13) of the Hillsboro Hops grounds out while advancing a runner during a game earlier this season. Franco had two home runs in three games at Everett last week. (John Lariviere/News Times)

It’d be easy to say things just keep getting worse for the Hillsboro Hops, but sadly, winning one of three games is ahead of the curve they’ve set over a second half that can only be described as a disaster.

The Hops have lost 23 of their last 27 games, two of which came at the hands of Everett this past week as part of a three-game set after four days off as part of the all-star break.

After splitting the first two games with the AquaSox, Hillsboro wasted a relatively solid pitching performance from starter Junior Sanchez and a stable of three relievers, tallying just five total hits en route to a 4-2 defeat.

Despite hitting just .210 over the course of the three games, they bested the Sox who hit just .167 as a team.

Hops pitchers tallied a 3.91 ERA, but were boosted by a heroic start from John West in the second of their three-game set with Everett, allowing no hits while striking out six and walking one in seven innings.

Hillsboro did manage five home runs in their three games against the Sox, including two apiece by Junior Fanco and Angel Ortiz. The five round-trippers was a surprising development due to the team’s league worst mark of just 51 home runs in 90 games this season.

Franco notched four hits in the short series, while  Jansel Luis led the team, going 5-for-12.

With their 1-2 mark at Everett, the Hops dropped to 4-20 in the NWL’s second half, 14.5 games behind first place Eugene.

Hillsboro will host Tri-City for six games this week at Hillsboro Ballpark.

Organizational news and notes…Arizona third baseman Eugenio Suarez hit four home runs and had seven RBI in three games last week…Former Hop Corbin Carroll hit .385 with three triples and a double in three games with the Diamondbacks…Former Hop and current DBacks starting pitchers Brandon Pfaadt and Ryne Nelson combined to allow one earned run while striking out 10 in 13 innings…Former Hop and Oregon State catcher Gavin Logan was 2-for-4 with a home run in a game at Triple-A Reno, and is 8-for-16 in five games with the Aces…Former Hop Yu-Min Lin struck out seven in six innings in a start at Reno…Mervin Fell allowed one earned run on a single hit, while striking out eight in five innings at Low-A Visalia.

Below are short summaries of the team’s three games against the AquaSox.

July 18 – Everett 9, Hillsboro 5

After allowing three first run innings, the Hops fought their way to a 5-4 lead after seven innings, but after surrendering the tying run in the eighth, Hillsboro relief pitchers Edgar Isea and Jake Fitzgibbons gave up the winning runs in the bottom of the ninth, all four of which came on a Charlie Pagliarini walk-off grand slam.

Jansel Luis led the Hops with three hits, while Angel Ortiz and Kenny Castillo both homered for Hillsboro.

Hops starting pitcher Daniel Eagen allowed three earned runs in 4.1 innings, all of which came on a Freuddy Batista first-inning home run.

July 19 – Hillsboro 3, Everett 0

This game was simply defined by pitching, most notably by Hops starter John West who pitched seven hitless innings en route to his fifth win of the season.

West struck out six while walking just one in his seven innings of work.

Hillsboro reliever Sam Knowlton allowed Everett’s only hit in 1.1 innings of relief.

The Hops broke a scoreless tie with a Junior Franco solo home run in the sixth inning, then got their final two runs off of a throwing error in the eighth.

Franco and Jansel Luis led Hillsboro with two hits apiece.

Franco’s home run was his fourth of the season.

July 20 – Everett 4, Hillsboro 2

The Hops managed just four hits off of Everett starting pitcher Nick Payero and just five total in a two-run defeat to the AquaSox in the final of their three-game set.

Hillsboro starter Junior Sanchez allowed just four hits in his five innings of work, but allowed three earned runs, all of which came as the result of a Colt Emerson three-run homer in the fifth inning.

Both Hops runs came from solo homers, with Junior Franco hitting one in the fifth and Angel Ortiz tallying one in the ninth.

Everett scored their fourth and final run on a fielder’s choice in the bottom of the sixth.

No Hop tallied more than a single hit in the game, while Emerson and third baseman Brndon Elke had two hits apiece for the Sox.