The Eugene Emeralds broke the game with the Hillsboro Hops wide open in the fifth inning, scoring seven runs to win 8-4.  The first seven Emeralds batters hit safely to start the inning. The eighth batter, Matt Rose, sacrificed to left field to score Eloy Jimenez from third.  In all, the Emerald’s bats went 9 for 11 as they sent twelve batters to the plate in one inning.

Francisco Carillo (1-1) pitched 3.2 innings during the decisive middle of the game for the Emeralds to get the win. Carillo allowed one run on four hits and struck out three batters.

Tyler Bolton (0-1), who was chased in the fifth inning eruption, took the loss for the Hops. Bolton allowed five runs on nine hits with one walk and four strike outs.

The scoring started in the bottom of the fourth when the Emeralds scored one run. Ian Happ slapped a single off the end of his bat to left field.  Eloy Jimenez grounded up the middle. Justin Marra walked and the bases were loaded. Matt Rose followed with a sacrifice fly to right field to score Happ.

The fifth inning scoring actually started in the Hops half when they took back the lead 3-1. Jose Queliz singled up the middle. Sergio Alcantara sacrificed Queliz over to second and Fernery Ozuna beat out a grounder to the right side for an infield single that moved Queliz to third. With Zach Nehrir at the plate, Ozuna stole second with no throw on the play. The Emeralds infield came in to defend the bunt. Nehrir then slammed a line drive over the center fielder’s head and all the way to the warning track. Queliz and Ozuna scored.  Nehrir slid into third ahead of the throw for a bases clearing triple. After a pitching change brought Francisco Carillo to the Emeralds’ mound, Stephen Dezzi doubled to right field, scoring Nehrir.

Then, the Emeralds had their monster inning. Blake Headley doubled to left field and Ho-young Son singled to left field moving Headley to third. Son took second on the throw back to the infield. Donnie Dewees singled to right field scoring Headley as Son moved to third and Dewees took second on the throw. Frandy Delarosa singled to left field scoring Son and moving Dewees to third.  That would be it for Tyler Bolton, who was chased from the game.

Joey Donino took over for the Hops in relief. Ian Hap singled to right field scoring Dewees and moving Delarosa to second.  Eloy Jimenez singled up the middle to load the bases. Justin Marra followed with a single to right field scoring Delarosa and Happ as Jimenez went to third. Matt Rose sacrificed to left field scoring Jimenez. With Ian Rice batting, a wild pitch by Donino allowed Marra to second. Headley came to the plate for the second time in the inning and singled to left field scoring Marra. Final damage: seven runs on eight hits. The game went from 3-1 to 8-3 in twenty minutes and the Hops never recovered.

The Hops did add one run in the eighth. Josh Anderson knocked a double down the left field line that traveled to the corner. Gerard Hernandez looped a single to right field, scoring Anderson.

For the Hops, Fernery Ozuna went 3 for 5 and scored a run. Josh Anderson and Jose Queliz both went 1 for 3 and scored a run. Nehrir went 1 for 4, scored a run, tripled and had two RBI. Stephen Dezzi and Gerard Hernandez both had an RBI.

The Emeralds had plenty of action to spread around.  Happ went 3 for 4 with two runs, a double and an RBI.  Frandy Delarosa went 2 for 5 with a run and an RBI.  Jimenez, Headley and  Son all went 2 for 4 with a run scored. Headley also had a double and an RBI. Marra went 1 for 3 with a run and two RBI. Deweese scored a run and had an RBI. Rose had two RBI.

The Hillsboro Hops (15-12) fell into a tie with the Eugene Emeralds (15-12), one game behind the South Division leading Salem-Keizer Volcanoes. Both teams return Thursday night for the second game of the three game series.

Boxscore Provided by MiLB.com

By Greg Stoker

@GDStoker