Hernandez, Hops Thrash Volcanoes
July 29, 2015 - Northwest League (NWL1)
Hillsboro Hops News Release
HILLSBORO, OR - Carlos Hernandez entered his start Tuesday night against the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes eight strikeouts shy of setting a new Hops single-season record for strikeouts with 61. He didn't break it tonight - he tied it at 60 by recording seven strikeouts - but he did manage to drop his Northwest League leading ERA to 1.27. Hernandez was again electric, posting seven shutout innings, scattering four hits. He was backed by a thundering Hillsboro offense, which came alive to blank the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes 10-0.
Named to the NWL All-Star Team earlier in the day, Hernandez came out and showed why. He struggled a little bit early, leaving a few pitches up in the zone. He gave up the only four Volcano hits of the night in the first two innings. From there, he established his rhythm and he was dazzling for the next 5 innings.
Hernandez retired the last fifteen batters he faced before being lifted in the top of the eighth. The strikeout record will have to wait, and will most likely be broken on the road against Tri-City.
In a welcome sight, the Hops offense broke out the bats. Alexis Olmeda and Sergio Alcantara led the charge, each recording three hits. Olmeda's 3-5 night raised his batting average to .327.
Hillsboro plated their first two runs in the bottom of the fifth. Nate Robertson singled with one out and Galli Cribbs moved him to second with another single. Alcantara followed with a double laced down the right-field line, and Zach Nehrir, who was also named to the NWL All-Star Team, brought home Cribbs with a groundout.
Hernandez had the only runs he would need, but the Hops crushed any hope Salem-Keizer had in the bottom of the seventh.
Hillsboro erupted in the bottom of the seventh for six runs. In all, there were three Hops hits, three walks, a batter hit-by-pitch, a passed ball, an RBI groundout, and a sacrifice fly. By the time Salem-Keizer could record three outs, they were staring at an 8-0 deficit against arguably the top pitcher in the NWL.
Hernandez gave way to Cameron Gann, a stingy pitcher himself. Gann posted another scoreless inning, and Kevin Simmons completed the shutout with a scoreless ninth.
The Hops sprinkled in two more runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to account for the final score of 10-0. A run scored on a passed ball, and another came in on a botched fly ball by Volcano left fielder Shilo McCall.
It was a thorough Hops thrashing.
The Hops are on the road again tomorrow night in Pasco, Washington to face the Tri-City Dust Devils, the champions of the NWL-North division. It is a possible preview of the 2015 NWL Championship Series. First pitch is at 7:15 PM with pregame radio starting at 6:45 PM on Rip City Radio 620 AM.
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Northwest League Stories from July 29, 2015
- Todd Rahr Resigns As Team President of The Boise Hawks - Boise Hawks
- Volcanoes Struggle in Series Finale - Salem-Keizer Volcanoes
- Hernandez, Hops Thrash Volcanoes - Hillsboro Hops
- Tri-City Dust Devils Take Finale from Indians - Tri-City Dust Devils
- Welmon Slices Through Emeralds - Boise Hawks
- Emeralds Drop Series Finale with Boise - Eugene Emeralds
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