Giesting Dominates Over Six Innings In Hillsboro Win

Spencer Giesting went up against Joel Hurtado, the Angel's #20 prospect (MLB.com) for his second start of the year. Giesting went six innings, allowing no runs and racking up five strikeouts, securing the win. This is the second straight start that a Hops pitcher went six innings and not allowing any runs, with Billy Corcoran doing the same yesterday against the Dust Devils.

Jack Hurley #13 prospect (MLB.com) showed off his speed with a base hit bunt to account for the Hop's first base runner of the game. Christian Cerda sent Hurley to third on a single to right center. A strikeout stranded both runners on to end the inning.

With only one out and runners on first and third, Giesting ruled the mound getting the batter to ground into a double play to end the inning, keeping the game scoreless in the second. The top of the third continued the same pattern, with Giesting credited for four strikeouts through three innings and keeping Tri-City from getting on the board. The bottom of the third was equally unsuccessful for Hillsboro, with the game stuck in a scoreless tie.

Keeping the pitcher's duel going, Geisting once again did not allow a run in the fourth inning. In the bottom of the fourth Kevin Sim, for his second extra-base hit of the game, got the Hops on the board with a two-run bomb to left field.

Three walks against Hurtado loaded the bases for the Hops, but a strikeout ended the inning, the score staying 2-0.

After five innings of work Hurtado, finished his day only allowing four hits, two earned runs, five walks and seven strikeouts. Dylan Phillips came in as the replacement, allowing no runners on in the inning.

After a leadoff double for the Dust Devils, Geisting’s day was over. Going six innings, only allowing five hits, no earned runs, one walk and five strikeouts, Giesting put Hillsboro in a good place for Alec Baker to take over. Baker retired three straight batters, stranding the Tri-City base runner at third.

Carlos Espinosa took over for the Dust Devils in the eighth inning. Tommy Troy, the Diamondbacks #2 Prospect (MLB.com) hit his first long ball of the year, with a steaming 108 mph off the bat going 416 feet. Troy put Hillsboro up 3-0.

Tri-City finally got on the board in the eighth inning, scoring from a Hops error. In a strong pattern for the Dust Devils, 14 out of their 26 runs this season have been scored in the seventh inning or later. Gerardo Gutierrez came in on the mound for Baker after he went 1.2 innings, allowing two hits and three strikeouts. The first batter Gutierrez faced doubled, scoring a runner making it 3-2. Gutierrez struck out the next batter to end the inning, stranding runners on second and third.

Willian Suarez replaced Carlos Espinosa to start the bottom of the eighth. Suarez went one inning with two strikeouts and allowed no hits.

Gutierrez got his first professional save after keeping the Hops up 3-2 to win the game. He allowed one hit, one walk and one strikeout in his outing.

Tri-City went two-for-14 with runners in scoring position, leaving eight runners on base, all in scoring position. Four of their eight hits were doubles, with shortstop Denzer Guzman going 3-for-4 with two doubles, and centerfielder Werner Blakely going two-for-three with two doubles.

The Hop's pitching staff accounted for 11 strikeouts and only allowed two runs. Kevin Sim had two doubles, going two-for-three, scoring one run. Both runs scored by the Dust Devils were unearned.

The Hops and Dust Devils will play game three of the series tomorrow at Hillsboro Ballpark. First pitch is at 6:35 with the pregame show starting at 6:20 on Rip City Radio 620 and Bally Live.