Ems Nurse 5-1 Win over Hops in Series Opener
June 16, 2021 - Northwest League (NWL)
Hillsboro Hops News Release
EUGENE, ORE. - Eugene righthander Conner Nurse tossed five strong innings to earn his first win of the season, and first baseman Logan Wyatt had a pair of RBI singles to highlight the Emeralds' offense in a 5-1 victory over the Hillsboro Hops on Tuesday night at P.K. Park.
Eugene scored twice in the first inning against Hops starter Kenny Hernandez. Will Wilson drew a one-out walk, Sean Roby singled to right to send Wilson to third, and Wilson scored on a passed ball. Then, with two out, Wyatt singled to center to make it 2-0.
Hillsboro got on the board in the top of the third when Ricky Martinez clouted his second professional home run --- both coming in the last week --- to make it 2-1, but that would prove to be the Hops' only run of the night.
Eugene added a run in the third on a pair of singles and a run-scoring double play, and another in the fifth on a Brandon Martorano sacrifice fly. Through five innings, Eugene led 4-1, with all four runs (two earned) coming off Hernandez.
Conor Grammes came on in the sixth for his first relief appearance of the year (after five starts), and labored through a 29-pitch inning, though he allowed just one run. Roby doubled leading off the frame, and one out later Wyatt singled him home. Grammes would work 2.1 innings, allowing three hits and one run. Kai-Wei Lin got the final two outs of the bottom of the eighth on a double play.
The Hops, meanwhile, couldn't do much with Eugene's pen. Right-hander Jasier Herrera worked three scoreless innings, though the Hops threatened in the eighth, Herrera's final frame. Hillsboro put two men on base on singles by Buddy Kennedy and Blaze Alexander (Alexander's third hit of the night), but with two on and none out Alexander was picked off first base by Martorano, the Ems' catcher. Five pitches later, after a pop-out and fly-out, the inning was over.
Left-hander Chris Wright struck out the side in order in the top of the ninth to close out the win.
Hillsboro lost despite out-hitting Eugene, 8-7. The Hops fell to 16-19, while Eugene climbed to 21-15.
Game two of the six-game series is Wednesday night at 7:05PM in Eugene. Airtime on Rip City Radio 620AM and www.RipCityRadio.com will be 6:50PM.
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Northwest League Stories from June 16, 2021
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