In a game that featured the return of the Arizona Diamondbacks' top draft pick from an injury layoff, the offensive catalyst came not from the cleanup spot but from the bottom of the order.Number nine hitter Ryan Tufts, in only his second game back from an injury layoff, had two
In a game that featured the return of the Arizona Diamondbacks' top draft pick from an injury layoff, the offensive catalyst came not from the cleanup spot but from the bottom of the order.
Number nine hitter Ryan Tufts, in only his second game back from an injury layoff, had two leadoff base hits and scored two runs as the Hillsboro Hops defeatd the Boise Hawks 7-1 Thursday night at Ron Tonkin Field.
The loss knocks the Hawks two games back in the Northwest League South Division standings with one game left in the series and four games remaining between the two teams.
Tyler Vail got his first Hops victory, pitching seven scoreless innings with eight strikeouts and just one base on balls.
Tufts led off the sixth inning with a double, advanced to third on Ryan Dobson's line drive base hit up the middle and scored on Ryan Grotjohn's sacrifice fly to deep left center to give the Hops a 1-0 lead. It was the second time this year the Hops's three "Ryans" started together and batted consecutively in the order.
Boise starting pitcher Nick Kennedy allowed just the one run, departing with one out in the sixth with three strikeouts and a walk. The Hops had just three hits off the fifth-rounder from the University Of Texas.
The Hops extended their lead on a two-run homer by Daulton Varsho in the seventh, his sixth of the year to tie for the team lead .Varsho's last seven hits have gone for extra bases.
Boise scored its only run in the eighth. Aubrey McCarty led off the inning with a double off Matt Peacock. Bret Boswell hit an RBI single later in the inning off Luis Castillo.
With the game still in doubt in the bottom of the eight, the Hops' three Ryans loaded the bases with none out off Sam Thoele. Tufts led off with a base hit before back-to-back walks to Dobson and Grotjohn. Camden Duzenack lined an 0-2 pitch down the right field line for a two run double as Thoele departed without recording an out. The Hops plated two more runs on a Drew Ellis RBI single and sacrifice fly by Varsho to put the game out of reach.
Tufts finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored and made his first start at first base, picking two low throws Ellis added a pair of hits for the Hops, who wrap up the series with a 1:05 p.m. game Friday. The radio broadcast will be on 103.7 FM "The Legend", starting with the pregame show at 12:35 p.m.
