He's Back: Carlos Hernandez Keys Shutout Win
August 30, 2015 - Northwest League (NWL1)
Hillsboro Hops News Release
EUGENE, ORE. --- Hillsboro beat Eugene 3-0 on Monday night at P.K. Park. And the best news of all? Carlos Hernandez, Hillsboro's best pitcher this year (with apologies to Cody Reed and Jared Miller) was back to form after getting hammered in his last two starts.
Hernandez (5-3) struck out six, increasing his league-leading total to 89 in 79 innings of work. The Hops made a number of nice defensive plays, including two diving stops at third by Josh Anderson, and a jaw-dropping diving play at short by Dansby Swanson.
Hillsboro broke a scoreless tie in the top of the fifth against Casey Bloomquist, who worked the middle three innings for Eugene in relief of Kyle Miller. Gerard Hernandez tripled to the power alley in right-center. With one out, Eugene brought the infield in, and Hops catcher B.J. Lopez hit a grounder to short. In his haste to throw to the plate, Eugene's Andrew Ely bobbled it, and could only get the out at first. Hillsboro led 1-0.
Carlos Hernandez pitched around a two-out double in the fifth by striking out Donnie Dewees, and worked around two singles in the sixth by whiffing Frandy De La Rosa --- the third time a frustrated De La Rosa had struck out.
Ariel Hernandez replaced Carlos Hernandez in the seventh, and immediately gave up a booming double to left-center by Ian Rice (who had earlier been robbed twice on the diving plays by Anderson). Blake Headley then hit a ground ball toward the hole, and Dansby did what Dansby does.
He made a full-extension dive to his back-hand side, and from his knees he somehow threw a perfect peg to Anderson at third, whose tag nipped the lead runner Rice. Ariel Hernandez then walked Adonis Paula, before Dewees fouled out. Two wild pitches and a walk to P.J. Higgins loaded the bases, and with two out Kevin Simmons was summoned from the bullpen to protect the 1-0 lead. Eloy Jimenez grounded out to Swanson on the second pitch Simmons threw, stranding three runners. (Boise left 11 men on base, six in scoring position.)
Hillsboro added a pair of runs --- without benefit of a hit --- off of reliever Scott Effross in the eighth. Effross walked Sergio Alcantara and Swanson with one out, and a wild pitch put runners at second and third. Grant Heyman and Trevor Mitsui then notched consecutive run-scoring ground balls --- Heyman reaching on a fielder's choice on a late throw to the plate --- and Mitsui has now recorded an RBI in five consecutive games, and he has 20 over his last 14 games.
Brody Greer worked the final two innings to earn his fourth save. He struck out the side in order in the eighth, and recorded two more strikeouts in the ninth, pitching around a two-out walk to whiff Dewees and seal the win.
It is the third time this season that the Hops (18-13 in the second half, 40-29 overall) have shut out the Emeralds (18-13, 35-34) in Eugene.
The win pulls Hillsboro even in the second-half South Division standings with Eugene. This game, coupled with Salem-Keizer's 2-0 win at home over Boise, means Eugene and Salem-Keizer are tied in the overall standings. The overall standings will determine Hillsboro's first-round playoff opponent if the Hops should win both halves.
On Sunday at 5:01, Hillsboro shoots for its third three-game sweep in Eugene in three seasons. The pregame show begins at 4:30 on Rip City Radio 620 AM and www.RipCityRadio.com. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.
Northwest League Stories from August 30, 2015
- Emeralds Rout Hillsboro, 10-4, Take One Game Lead in NWL South Division - Eugene Emeralds
- Hawks Offense Dormant Against Volcanoes - Boise Hawks
- Indians Can't Comeback After Sixth Inning Fall - Spokane Indians
- Vancouver Takes Series Finale In Spokane; Tops Indians 3-2 - Vancouver Canadians
- Salem-Keizer Sluggish in Return to Keizer - Salem-Keizer Volcanoes
- Leenhouts and Volcanoes Offense Stump Boise - Salem-Keizer Volcanoes
- Day Doubles Home Walk-Off Run in Extra Innings - Spokane Indians
- He's Back: Carlos Hernandez Keys Shutout Win - Hillsboro Hops
- AquaSox Fall 9-3 in Rain-Shortened Game - Everett AquaSox
- Canadians Fall In Extra Innings - Vancouver Canadians
- Emeralds Held Scoreless by Hillsboro - Eugene Emeralds
- Volcanoes Blanket Hawks 2-0 - Boise Hawks
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