Hillsboro Hops Obliterate the Boise Hawks, 12-0
The Hillsboro Hops left no doubt, if the Eugene Emeralds were watching, that they will not go away from the battle for the second half crown. The Hops pummeled the Boise Hawks 12-0. With both Eugene and Hillsboro winning tonight, the Hops remain just one game behind the Emeralds for the second half crown with three games left. Both the Hops and Emeralds will face each other for the final three games of the season to decide the winner of the second half. The Hops hold a 9-3 advantage over the Emeralds so far in this season’s head to head matchups.
The Salem-Keizer Volcanoes were eliminated from the second half crown tonight. The S-K Volcanoes only hope for the playoffs is for the Hops to win the second half crown and the Volcanoes beat the Emeralds in overall record to earn the right to face the Hops in the playoffs. The Volcanoes are currently one game behind the Emeralds in overall record. Hillsboro won the first half crown and is already in the playoffs.
The game tonight was all Hops in both offense and defense. Starting pitcher Carlos Hernandez (6-3) was near perfect facing only 21 batters in six innings for the win. Hernandez allowed only two hits and issued two walks. A double play removed one of the base runners in the first inning making the total number of batters faced three over the perfect amount. Hernandez’ league leading ERA is now down to 2.32. Cody Reed, Will Landsheft and Brody Greer combined for one hit over three innings to finish the game.
The onslaught was started in the first inning when Dansby Swanson tripled and then came home on Grant Heyman’s grounder.
The third inning was filled with five runs scored by the Hops. Zach Nehrir and Dansby Swanson scored on Trevor Mitsui’s single. Mitsui then scored on an Alexis Olmeda fielder’s choice. Olmeda scored from second on a Gerard Hernandez double to right field. Hernandez made it 6-0 when he scored on Nate Robertson’s double.
The Hops added just one run in the fourth when Zach Nehrir doubled and came home on Trevor Mitsui’s sacrifice. The next onslaught would wait until the eighth inning.
Five more runs were scored in the eighth starting with Nate Robertson scoring on a Zach Nehrir single. Trevor Mitsui doubled with the bases loaded scoring Nehrir and Dansby Swanson. Then, Mitsui and Grant Heyman scored on a Luis Veras double. Final score 12-0.
As a team, the Hops went 16 for 44, scored 12 runs, had six doubles and one triple. Their offense was unstoppable. Dansby Swanson went 5 for 6, scored three runs and had a triple. Luis Veras went 3 for 5 with a double and two RBI. Trevor Mitsui went 2 for 4 and upped his team leading RBI total to 40 with four more tonight. Zach Nehrir went 2 for 6, score three times, had a double and an RBI.
The Boise Hawks were limited to three hits all night, including the double by Wesley Jones.
Tonight finished the three game series with the Boise Hawks (15-20). Hillsboro Hops (20-15) win taking it 2-1. The Hops now come home to finish the season with a three game series against the South Division leading Eugene Emeralds (21-14) starting Friday night. Boise stays home to host the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes (17-18). The Hawks can over take the Volcanoes by sweeping the season ending series.
By Greg Stoker
@GDStoker
