Hillsboro Hops Pound Boise Hawks, 9-5
The Hillsboro Hops hit first, hard and controlled the game. The Boise Hawks scored five runs but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Hops who won 9-5. Bats were active all around garnering a total of 23 hits for both teams but they also left a total of 23 men on base. With that much firepower, even a four run lead was never safe.
The pitching stood up to the force of a battering ram all night. With here a double, there a triple, the only thing missing all night was a home run. Throw in four errors, a passed ball and a wild pitch, and it was surprising the score wasn’t larger.
The Hops led off in the first inning with a three run barrage. Sergio Alcantara scored from third on a Grant Heyman single to right field. Dansby Swanson scored from third on a Trevor Mitsui single to right. Grant Heyman scored from third on a passed ball by Wilkyns Jimenez while Alexis Olmeda was at the plate.
Boise would answer back with one run in the bottom of the inning when Kevin Padlo scored from second on a single by Terry McClure.
But, the Hawks would tie it up momentarily in the third with two more runs when Scott Burcham and Kevin Padlo would come home on a Brian Mundell double to right field clearing the bases.
Tyler Mark (2-2) started for the Hops going five innings allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits for the win. Jeferson Mejia, Breckin Williams and Cameron Gann took care of the final four innings allowing two more runs.
Javier Palacios started the first five innings for the Emeralds but left with the scored tied 3-3 after the fifth. Angel Lezama (1-3) pitched the sixth allowing four runs (two earned) for the loss.
Hillsboro scored six runs over the last four innings to keep it out of reach. Stephen Dezzi doubled and then scored on Nate Robertson’s triple in the sixth.
The Hops scored three more times in the seventh alone. Grant Heyman scored when Alexis Olmeda walked forcing Heyman home from third. Trevor Mitsui came home on a sacrifice double play by Gerard Hernandez. And finally, Josh Anderson scored from third on a Stephen Dezzi single. But there were two more innings and two more runs from the Hops to score.
In the eighth, Sergio Alcantara doubled and then scored on a Grant Heyman single. For the ninth, Gerard Hernandez scored on a Dansby Swanson single.
The Emeralds did manage one run in the seventh in the midst of all that when Marcos Derkes scored on a Tyler Follis line drive single to center field.
For the Hops, 7 of 9 starters got a hit and scored a run. Stephen Dezzi went 4 for 5 with two doubles, an RBI and scored a run. Grant Heyman went 3 for 5 with two RBIs and scored two runs. Nate Robertson and Dansby Swanson went 2 for 5 and had an RBI. Swanson also scored. Sergio Alcantara scored twice.
All but one Emeralds starter got one hit but no more. Kevin Padlo scored twice and Brian Mundell had two RBIs.
The Hillsboro Hops (19-14) maintained their one game deficit behind Eugene for the South lead with five games to go. The Boise Hawks (14-19) were eliminated tonight from the playoffs.
Tonight was the first game of a three game series with the Hops taking the first win. Both teams will stay in Boise for the second game Wednesday night.
By Greg Stoker
@GDStoker