The Hillsboro Hops pounded out 12 hits and jumped on Everett starter Walter Ford early, rolling to a 9-3 victory over the AquaSox on Sunday, August 2, at Hops Ballpark to close their 12-game homestand on a four-game winning streak.

The win gave Hillsboro a series victory over first-place Everett after dropping the first two games. The Hops won the final four to flip the script in front of 4,112 fans.

The top of the order did the damage. José Mejía went 3-for-5 with three runs scored, a double, and two RBI. Slade Caldwell reached base three times, going 2-for-4 with a walk, a double, and two runs scored. Kayson Cunningham added two hits including a double and drove in two runs.

Together, the trio went 7-for-13 with three doubles, six runs scored, and four RBI.

Hillsboro wasted no time against Ford, who fell to 0-9 on the season. Cunningham lined an RBI double in the first inning to score Caldwell, Carlos Virahonda added a sacrifice fly, and Yassel Soler capped the frame with an RBI single for a 3-0 lead. Cunningham delivered again in the second, lining a single to right that pushed the advantage to 5-0 before Everett recorded six outs.

Kyle Ayers earned the win, improving to 5-4. He took over in the fourth inning and tossed 5.2 innings, allowing just one run on five hits with four strikeouts. Ayers retired nine of the final 11 batters he faced, including an ultra-rare three-pitch inning in the eighth when he retired Cova, Ellis, and Eike on consecutive pitches.

Mason Marriott started and cruised through the first two innings before Luke Craig entered in relief in the third. Teofilo Mendez recorded the final out after Everett's Luis Suisbel launched a two-run homer to right-center, his 12th of the season, in the ninth to make it 9-3.

Hillsboro went 6-for-14 with runners in scoring position and committed no errors.

The four-game streak reversed a brutal stretch earlier in the second half when the Hops lost 16 of 18 games. The balanced offensive output carried the club through the homestand's final week and built momentum heading into a road trip.

The Hops open a series at Tri-City on Tuesday, August 4, with first pitch set for 10:05 p.m. PT.