Boise Hawks 3-0 Victory Gives Sweep of Hillsboro Hops
The Hillsboro Hops faced a sweep by the Boise Hawks and more damage to their chances to regain the lead in the South Division tonight. The Hops’ bats were awake but not enough to stave off the Hawks and lost 6-4, swept 3-0 in the series. The Hops made a game of it staying within reach and even taking the lead for a very short time but the Hawks answered every threat.
Hops starting pitching which had been a strength, has lately proved the undoing. The Hawks scored twice in the first inning when Terry McClure singled to left scoring Kevin Padlo and Brian Mundell. Carlos Herrera doubled in the fourth scoring Jensen Park who hustled all the way home from first. In the fifth, starting pitcher Tyler Bolton gave up back to back home runs to Terry McClure to tie the game and Nate Causey for the go ahead run. That was enough to chase Bolton who had performed well in his last two starts.
The Hops bats tried to stay close but it was their defense that kept them in the game as the Hawks stranded eleven men on base. Hillsboro did take the lead momentarily in the fourth. Trevor Mitsui led off the inning with a single to left. After two outs, the Hops Luis Veras, Alexis Olmeda and Galli Cribbs, Jr. singled three times in a row to score Mitsui and Veras for the tying and go ahead run. The lead would vanish in the top of the next inning on the back to back homers.
The Hawks would add a run in the seventh when Wilkyns Jimenez doubled down the right field line and into the corner to score Terry McClure from second.
Both starters, Colin Welman for Boise and Tyler Bolton (2-3) for the Hops, did not fare well and were chased by the sixth inning. Craig Schlitter (1-0) pitched two innings for the win allowing no runs or hits and struck out four. Christian Quinton (S-5) came on in the ninth to earn the save striking out three batters and allowing a single to Luis Veras. Tyler Bolton took the loss.
Terry McClure had an impressive line going 2 for 4, scoring twice and batting in three RBIs for the Hawks. Kevin Padlo went 3 for 5, scoring once and had two doubles. Carlos Herrera went 2 for 5 with an RBI.
Luis Veras went 2 for 4, scoring a run for the Hops. Trevor Mitsui scored a run as well as batting in a RBI. Galli Cribbs, Jr. went 1 for 3 and had two RBIs.
The Hillsboro Hops (13-11) stayed within one game behind the Eugene Emeralds for the lead in the South Division The Boise Hawks (9-15) knocked another game off of their deficit and have crept back to within five games of the Emeralds.
With the series ended, the Hops stay home to host a five game series with the Tri-City Dust Devils and hope to end their four game losing streak. The Boise Hawks will stay on the road for a five game series with the Vancouver Canadians and hope to extend their three game winning streak.
By Greg Stoker
@GDStoker