You can’t win them all. After taking the first two games of the series, the Boise Hawks woke up and took their frustrations out on the Hillsboro Hops 9-3. Taking the lead early, the Hawks limited the Hops same way Hillsboro had limited Boise the previous two nights.

Steven Linkous starting the scoring for the Hawks in the first inning. Leading off, Linkous bunted a single, stole second and took third on Daniel Suero’s fly out to center with no outs. Jacob Bosiokovic doubled Linkous home.

After Hillsboro tied it up in the bottom of the inning, Boise took the lead again on Ryan Stephens scoring off of Daniel Suero’s bases loaded groundout.

Mack Lemieux, who was the starting pitcher for the Hops, managed to pitch himself out of the jam and finish the inning but that was the night for the recently called up 22 year old from the AZL league. Lemieux was the 6^th round draft choice by the Diamondbacks this year out of Palm Beach State in Florida.

Boise made the 2-1 lead stick until the the fifth. That was when the Hawks erupted for four more runs that put the game out of reach for the Hops. Trevor Sims had taken the mound in relief for the third and was in trouble by the fifth. After loading the bases, Jacob Bosiokovic scored when Sims threw the ball away trying to force out Ryan Stephens at first. Will Haynie then walked forcing Willie Abreu home. Wesley Jones scored on a ground out by Tyler Orris. Finally, Stephens scored on a single by Steven Linkous.

That was it for Trevor Sims as Jeferson Mejia strolled to the mound and shut the inning down. Mejia held them scoreless for two more innings before three more runs by the Hawks chased Mejia to the showers. Tommy Eveld threw the final two innings keeping the Hawks scoreless on only two hits.

The Hops bats for the night drove in three runs for the night on only five hits. Marcus Wilson went 1 for 3 and scored the Hops first run to tie the game. Josh Anderson knocked Wilson home going 2 for 2 and scored in the sixth. Ramon Hernandez went 2 for 4 and knocked Anderson and Stephen Smith home. No other batters managed to reach base on a hit.

The Hawks pitching is what kept the Hops down tonight. Antonio Santos (W, 2-4) started and lasted to the sixth when he was pulled after allowing the Hops two more runs with no outs. By then, it was too late for Hillsboro and Santos earned the win. With the bases loaded, Justin Calomeni strode to the mound and retired the side with a strikeout and a double play. Calomeni, Jared Gesell and Kyle Cedotal blanked the Hops for the last four innings with no hits, six strikeouts and only one walk.

The Hawks bats did very well too. Steven Linkous went 3 for 5, scored twice and knocked in a run. Ryan Stephens went 3 for 5 and scored twice. Jacob Bosiokovic doubled, scored and knocked in a run. Daniel Suero, Wesley Jones, Will Haynie and Tyler Orris singled.

The loss dropped the Hillsboro Hops (2-1) into a tie with Salem-Keizer for the south lead. The Boise Hawks (1-2) climbed into a tie with Eugene, one game behind. The three game series ended with the Hops taking it 2-1.

The Hops will remain home for a three game home stand against the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes. Boise will return home for their three game home stand against Eugene.

Boxscore

By Greg Stoker
@GDStoker