Hops Seize 1st Place with 7-0 Win at Salem-Keizer

KEIZER, ORE. --- Michel Gelabert, Franklyn Soriano and Justin Garcia combined on a two-hit shutout on Tuesday night at Volcanoes Stadium in Keizer. Their efforts, along with home runs by Kristian Robinson and Ryan January, led the Hops to a 7-0 win over the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes --- and alone into first place in the South Division of the Northwest League.
The two clubs entered the game in a three-way tie for first in the South, along with the Eugene Emeralds. In the first of 15 meetings this season between Hillsboro and Salem-Keizer, it was the Hops who struck first. An error on a potential inning-ending double-play ball in the top of the first brought home the first run, and Robinson followed with his first round-tripper as a Hop. It was 3-0 Hillsboro before Gelabert ever took the mound.

Gelabert's fastball command was much better than in his first game as a Hop last week at Tri-City. He pitched around two walks in the bottom of the first, didn't allow a hit until there were two out in the fifth, and left after five one-hit shutout innings, having walked three and struck out six. Soriano followed with three shutout innings of his own, allowing just one hit, with three walks and three Ks. Garcia worked a 1-2-3 ninth inning to complete the Hops' league-leading third shutout of the season.
January hit a mammoth home run to right field --- toward Interstate 5 --- in the fourth inning, his first home run since he hit 10 in his first pro year, 2016. And in the fifth, Jesus Marriaga had an RBI double and Jorge Barrosa a two-run double to make it 7-0.
Volcanoes starter Jacob Lopez had allowed just one baserunner in 10 innings in his first two starts with Salem-Keizer, but in this game he gave up eight hits and seven runs (all earned) over 4.1 innings.
January finished a triple shy of the cycle. Andy Yerzy also had three hits for the Hops, including a double, and had the first stolen base of his career.
Hillsboro's win, coupled with Eugene's loss in Boise, moved the Hops alone into first place in the South Division, one game up on Salem-Keizer and Eugene. The Hops are 8-4, while the Volcanoes and Ems are 7-5.
The second game of the three-game series is on Wednesday at 6:35. The radio broadcast begins at 6:30 on Rip City Radio 620AM.