Hops Streak Stopped at 8 in Series Finale
August 24, 2014 - Northwest League (NWL1)
Hillsboro Hops News Release
HILLSBORO, OR --- Hillsboro had high hopes for Sunday's contest with the Spokane Indians. They had won a franchise-record eight consecutive games, and had taken the first four games of the five-game set with Spokane. As all good things do, the Hops streak came to an end at eight after Spokane salvaged the series finale at Ron Tonkin Field by a score of 7-4.
Jared Miller took the mound for the Hops (41-26, 20-10) and was ambushed early. Spokane (36-32, 11-19), frustrated with the results of the first four games of the series, came to play. In the top of the first, Eduard Pinto and Diego Cedeno led off with back-to-back singles. Seth Spivey provided a single of his own, driving in Pinto. After Jose Trevino struck out, Luke Tendler brought home the second run with another single.
Unsatisfied with just the two runs in the first inning, Spokane went back at it in the second, plating two more. Saquan Johnson hit a one-out single, the first of his three hits, and Eduard Pinto followed with a rocket two-run shot to right to make the score 4-0. The Indians would need all of those runs.
Hillsboro was determined to push the streak to nine, and fought back ardently. The comeback started in the bottom of the second. Jordan Parr led off with a towering solo shot to left field off Spokane starter David Perez, tallying the Hops' first run. Elvin Soto followed with a walk and Zach Esquerra was hit by a pitch. Taylor Ratliff then walked to load the bases, and yet another walk to Pedro Ruiz with the sacks full provided the Hops second run.
After the teams traded scoreless third and fourth innings, the Hops tallied two more to tie the game at four in the bottom of the fifth. Stryker Trahan walked to start the inning, and Elvin Soto followed with a home run to the opposite field, bringing in Trahan. It was Soto's second homer in the Spokane series, after just one home run through July 24.
Mike Cetta entered in the top of the sixth and hit a rocky patch. Tendler doubled to start the frame, and moved to third on a wild pitch. Josh Morgan stepped in next and drove in Tendler to give Spokane a 5-4 lead.
The Hops couldn't quite scratch out the tying run before Mason McCullough entered in the top of the eighth. The right-hander hit 98 on the radar gun, but the heat wasn't fooling Spokane. McCullough was pegged with two earned runs on four hits, as the Indians took a 7-4 lead. Johnson drove in a run with a single, and Pinto hit a sacrifice fly.
The 7-4 lead proved to be the final score, as Hillsboro couldn't find any late inning magic. All in all it was a successful 4-1 homestand at Ron Tonkin Field, and a franchise-record eight game winning streak.
The Hops hit the road for the first game of a five-game series tomorrow against the Tri-City Dust Devils. First pitch at Gesa Stadium will be at 7:15 PM. Scott Schultz (3-5, 4.95) starts for Hillsboro against Andrew Rohrbach (0-0, 4.50) of the Dust Devils. Tune in to the pre-game radio show at 6:45 PM on Rip City Radio 620 AM and at www.foxsportsradio620.com.
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Northwest League Stories from August 24, 2014
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