Hops Secure Win With Dominant Start By Giesting
For his tenth start of the year, Spencer Giesting matched up against Tri-City Dust Devil's starter Ryan Costieu. In the Wednesday night game at Hillsboro Ballpark, the Hops’ offense scored four runs on nine hits. Hillsboro pitchers only allowed one earned run, beating Tri-City 4-1. Hops' left fielder Brett Johnson
For his tenth start of the year, Spencer Giesting matched up against Tri-City Dust Devil's starter Ryan Costieu. In the Wednesday night game at Hillsboro Ballpark, the Hops’ offense scored four runs on nine hits. Hillsboro pitchers only allowed one earned run, beating Tri-City 4-1.
Hops' left fielder Brett Johnson started off the bottom of the first with a lead-off double. Johnson advanced to third on a wild pitch, setting it up perfectly to be driven in by Jean Walters on a sacrifice fly. A ground ball double play ended the inning for the Hops.
After allowing two runners on base, Costieu's day was done in the fourth. Costieu pitched three-and-two-thirds innings allowing two walks, five hits, one earned run, and striking out five. Leonard Garcia came in as his replacement. With two on, Manuel Peña was the first batter Garcia faced. Peña hit a ground-rule double, scoring one run for Hillsboro. The first time Giesting allowed three balls in an at-bat came in the top of the fifth, where he allowed his first walk of the game.
Andrew Pintar singled in the fifth, advancing to third on a past ball. Gavin Conticello hit a sacrifice fly to score Pintar, putting the Hops up 3-0.
Jose Fernandez homered in the sixth, adding on to Hillsboro’s lead, 4-0. Leonard Garcia pitched for two innings, allowing four hits and two earned runs. Garcia struck out two before Jake Smith took over.
Giesting dominated on the mound, shutting out the Dust Devil offense. Through seven innings Giesting struck out eight and allowed only three hits and two walks. Eli Saul came into the game in the eighth, allowing a two-out solo homer to Jadiel Sanchez to end the shutout.
Jhosmer Alvarez came into the game in the ninth getting the save for the Hops in the 4-1 win over the Dust Devils.
This win makes it the fourth consecutive series that Hillsboro has taken the first two games of. Jose Fernandez went two-for-three with a homer and a single. The Hops pitching staff struck out eleven, while the Dust Devils struck out nine Hops’ batters.
The Hops are up two games to none in the series, with game three taking place on Thursday at 6:35 pm. The pregame show will start at 6:20 on Rip City Radio 620 AM.