It was a sloppy game. It was not entirely unexpected considering the events of the day before. The Hops built a big lead and then hung on at the end thanks to some more brilliance from the bullpen.The Hops scored seven runs in the third inning to build a big
It was a sloppy game. It was not entirely unexpected considering the events of the day before. The Hops built a big lead and then hung on at the end thanks to some more brilliance from the bullpen.
The Hops scored seven runs in the third inning to build a big early lead and then hung on late as Matt Brill pitched the final two innings for his first pro save in a 9-6 victory at Salem-Keizer.
The win gave the Hops their second straight series victory and their third win in a row over the Volcanoes and opened up a two-game lead in the Northwest League's South Division after Boise lost 3-1 at Eugene. The Hops lead the Emeralds and Hawks by two games and opened up a three-game lead over Salem-Keizer in the South.
Daulton Varsho had another big game at the plate, going 3-for-5 with two doubles and a triple. Varsho's RBI triple in the third was one of five Hops hits in that inning. Hillsboro sent 12 men to the plate as Salem-Keizer gave the Hops two extra outs and they took advantage with three consecutive two-out singles by Ryan Dobson, Luis Lara and Tim Susnara.
Salem-Keizer starting pitcher Jose Marte didn't make it out of the third, allowing six hits and eight runs, but just two were earned. He struck out six and walked three with two hit batters.
Leading 8-2 after three, Hillsboro saw Salem-Keizer slowly creep back into the game. Ryan Kirby doubled and scored on a Manuel Geraldo base hit in the fourth to make it 8-3. Then Kirby launced a two-run homer to right in the sixth inning as the gap closed to 8-5. Hops starter Jhoan Duran departed after the bomb, allowing four hits and five runs, three earned with six strikeouts and two walks.
Hops reliever Juan Torres pitched a scoreless sixth, but ran into trouble in the seventh. Logan Baldwin's base hit with two aboard made it 8-6 and Baldwin advanced to second base on an ill-considered throw to third. With the bases loaded and tying runs in scoring position, Salem-Keizer second baseman Orlando Garcia hit an absolute rocket toward short that nailed Baldwin in the leg, ending the inning on runner's interference.
Matt Brill extended his innings streak to 17 without allowing an earned run, but pitched out of a first-and-second jam in the ninth, retiring the cleanup batter Kirby on a pop to first. The Hops tacked on another insurance run, unearned, in the top of the ninth to ease the way home.
Varsho and Holmes each scored twice and Camden Duzenack reached base four times, officially 1-for-3 on the nighth with a run scored and an RBI.
Kirby was 2-for-3 with three runs scored and two RBI. Manuel Geraldo drove in two runs with two hits and Bryce Johnson extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a base hit in the ninth.
The Hops have won three straight entering their final eight-game regular season homestand, starting Wednesday night against Boise. First pitch is at 7:05 p.m. at Ron Tonkin Field with pregame coverage starting at 6:35 p.m. on Rip City Radio 620 AM
