The Hillsboro Hops started off with power and continued to keep the Everett Aquasox from catching up for the opening game of the 2017 season.  The final score was 10-3, Hops.

Billy Endris and Eudy Ramos struck gold in the first inning with back to back solo homers and a 2-0 lead that the Hops would never lose.  With one out, Endris sailed a shot over the left field fence and was followed closely by another shot by Ramos just a bit to the right.

Everett managed to get on board in the next inning making it a close 2-1 lead for Hillsboro but a four-run fifth inning increased the gap to a 6-1 advantage.

With Paxton de la Garza walking and Cole Thompson singling to right to get on base, Domingo Leyba stepped up to the plate in the sixth with one out and sent a three-run blast to right-center.  When Billy Endris followed with a double to left, it was time for Aquasox starting pitcher Ryne Inman to walk to the dugout.  After Tyler Watson warmed up the mound in relief, Eudy Ramos came up to single Endris home for the fourth run of the inning before Watson was able to strike out the next two batters to end the inning.

Everett managed to score one run to answer in the bottom of the inning but it was becoming too little, too late.

The Hops added another run in the eighth when Kyle Smith scored off of Stephen Smith’s RBI single.  Three more runs in the ninth were an exclamation point.  Billy Endris scored on a Kyle Smith double.  Eudy Ramos and Kyle Smith came home on a fielder’s choice and a missed catch error by catcher Juan Camacho.

The Aquasox scored one final run in the bottom of the ninth when Greifer Andrade scored on a triple by Brayan Hernandez for the final score of 10-3.  Eugene Helder grounded out on a 4-3 put-out to end the game with two runners on the corners.

Hillsboro’s starter Jhoan Duran (W, 1-0) went five innings for the win allowing four hits and striking out four.  Both runs allowed on his watch were unearned.  Everett’s starter Ryne Inman (L, 0-1) took the loss after four and a third innings giving up six earned runs on six hits, three of them home runs.  Inman did strike out five while walking only two.

The Hop’s bats were led by the top third of their line-up.  Lead-off hitter, shortstop Domingo Leyba went one for four but that one hit was a three-run blast that put the game out of reach.  Number two in the order, center fielder Billy Endris exploded all through the game for three runs, two hits, a double and a homer with an RBI.  The third member of the triumvirate, third baseman Eudy Ramos wasn’t too far behind with two runs, two hits, two RBI and a homer of his own.  Together, the three combined for six of the ten runs scored, five of the nine hits, six of the nine RBI and all three home runs.

After one game of the 2017 season, the Hillsboro Hops (1-0) take an early lead in the Southern Division, a half game over Boise whose game at Spokane was postponed due to rain tonight.  The Everett Aquasox (0-1) started with a temporary set-back.  Both teams meet Friday night in Everett for the second game of the five game series.

Hops notes: shortstop Domingo Leyba is down from the Jacksonville Generals on a rehab assignment.  He is joined by former Hops pitcher Carlos Hernandez who led the Hops and the Northwest league in strikeouts in 2015 and was named pitcher of the year.  Carlos is rehabbing an elbow injury and is expected to start the third game in the series.

Boxscore

By GD Stoker
@GDStoker