Bolton Steals Show in Dansby's Debut
Published on August 13, 2015 under Northwest League (NWL1)
Hillsboro Hops News Release
Dansby Swanson of the Hillsboro Hops
(Hillsboro Hops, Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer/Hillsboro Hops)
HILLSBORO, OR - It was a monumental day for the Hillsboro Hops as the first overall selection in the 2015 MLB First-Year Player Draft, Dansby Swanson, made his professional debut for the team. He was 0-2 with a walk and a run scored in his debut, but it was starting pitcher Tyler Bolton who kept the Hops in the game as they pieced together enough late offense to stun the Vancouver Canadians 3-2.
Swanson arrived in Hillsboro last night and went through pregame early work while getting to know his new teammates. As game time approached, a palpable buzz was reverberating through Ron Tonkin Field as the 3,557 assembled eagerly anticipated the shortstop's debut.
He went down swinging in his first professional at bat against LHP Tayler Saucedo, and struck out looking against him again. With his Hops (31-21, 9-5) trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the sixth, Swanson drew a walk in his third at bat and came around to score. He was lifted from the game after scoring the tying run.
It was his teammate Bolton who stole the show for the Hops. Despite pitching effectively for the entire season - he entered the game with a 3.86 ERA through ten starts - he had still not posted a victory with Hillsboro. Bolton threw the first eight innings, allowing just three hits, two earned runs, walking one, while striking out a season-high nine batters. It looked as if his first win was going to have to wait another five days as his team trailed 2-1 entering the bottom of the eighth.
But the Hops, or perhaps Vancouver's (22-30, 6-8) pitching staff, rewrote the script in the eighth. Three consecutive walks issued by Stuart Holmes to Alexis Olmeda, Stryker Trahan, and Trevor Mitsui loaded the bases. With none out and the bases filled, Vancouver went to the pen and brought in Brandon Hinkle.
Guess what happened next? Hinkle issued a fourth consecutive walk to Luis Veras to plate Veras for the tying run. Gerard Hernandez was the next batter and he launched a sacrifice fly to center to score Trahan and send the Hops to the ninth with a 3-2 victory.
We saw the 2015 first rounder already, now what about the second rounder? Lefty Alex Young, taken the round after Swanson by the Diamondbacks, got the save opportunity Wednesday night. He was simply dominant, mixing in mid-90's fastballs and nasty breaking stuff to overpower the Canadians. He threw a perfect inning, striking out the side. Ultimately, it was the Hops' strong plate discipline and the Canadians' inability to find the strike zone that made the difference in the ballgame.
It's another 7:05 start tomorrow between Vancouver and Hillsboro on Thursday. Pregame radio is at 6:35 on Rip City Radio 620 AM and at www.ripcityradio.com.
Images from this story
 Dansby Swanson of the Hillsboro Hops (Craig Mitchelldyer/Hillsboro Hops) |
Northwest League Stories from August 13, 2015
- Emeralds Will Sport Two Specialty Jerseys this Weekend - Eugene Emeralds
- Hops Seek Second Straight, Swanson Hits Second - Hillsboro Hops
- Tri-City Wins with a Walk off in Extras - Tri-City Dust Devils
- Hinojosa and Connolly Lead Volcanoes to Victory - Salem-Keizer Volcanoes
- Pacchioli Puts Down Hawks in Extra Innings - Boise Hawks
- Bolton Steals Show in Dansby's Debut - Hillsboro Hops
- Lanphere's Bullpen Performance Not Enough - Spokane Indians
- Canadians Walk Away From Victory In Hillsboro - Vancouver Canadians
- Errors Doom Ems in Opener vs. Everett - Eugene Emeralds
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