Hillsboro Hops, Matt Koch Jump Over Boise Hawks, 3-1
The Boise Hawks staked a quick 1-0 lead before the Hillsboro Hops jumped over them and held on for the win, 3-1. The main reason was the team effort of the Hops pitching staff.
Matt Koch (W, 1-0) started for the second time during his rehab assignment and is showing no wear or tear on his path back to AAA. One of his 85 pitches for the night was sent out of the park toward left center for a solo shot by Daniel Jipping. The other 84 pitches were turned into two hits and five strikeouts. Following that was even more desolation for the Hawks as Junior Garcia and Erbert Gonzalez (S, 1) shut Boise down for no hits and seven strikeouts over three innings.
Boise did have its share of runners on base however due to four more Hops errors on the night. What helped the Hops stave off more runs was their ability to string them out over the innings. It wasn’t until Boise’s ninth and final inning before they had more than one runner on the base paths during the inning.
That last gasp by the Hawks was almost enough to change the tide of the game. After a strikeout by Bret Boswell, Danny Edgeworth also struck out. But, Danny had the advantage of a wild pitch. He scooted down to the first base bag before catcher Daulton Varsho managed to chase it down. After a Daniel Jipping strikeout, Cole Anderson and Aubrey McCarty received consecutive walks.
The game was down to the final out with the bases loaded and the tying run in scoring position and the go ahead run at first. The game ended with another strikeout. In all, the Hops had twelve Ks with four of them in the last inning.
The Boise Hawks had only three hits on the night. Besides Daniel Jipping’s solo shot in the fourth inning, the other two hits were singles in the first and third innings respectfully.
Hillsboro, on the other hand, belted nine hits including Camden Duzenack’s double in the eighth. The Hops go-ahead run came in the fifth. First, they tied it when Duzenack grounded into a fielder’s choice with the bases loaded. That allowed Kyle Smith to come home. The winning run came next when Bryan Araiza’s RBI single scored Paxton De La Garza.
An insurance run came in the eighth when Camden Duzenack doubled and came home on Yan Sanchez’s RBI single. It was enough to hold on for the win.
Keinter Olivares (L, 0-1) started for the Hawks and allowed the tying and winning runs for the loss. He lasted 4.2 innings and gave up seven of the Hops’ nine hits. Austin Moore finished the game allowing the insurance run and struck out four.
The Hillsboro Hops (6-5) remained tied with the Eugene Emeralds who also won tonight. The Boise Hawks (5-6) fell one game behind the division leaders. The Hops took the three-game series 2-1.
Hillsboro will take to the road for a three-game series with the team they are tied with: Eugene. Boise will return home for a three-game series with the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes who are two games behind them in the standings.
By Greg Stoker
@GDStoker
