Hops Drop Second Straight at Salem
Published on August 19, 2016 under Northwest League (NWL1)
Hillsboro Hops News Release
From the beginning of the season, the Hillsboro Hops have relied on a stout bullpen while most of the questions revolved around their offense and defense. Last night the Hops (11-10 2nd half, 30-29 overall) produced enough at the plate to win, but could not hold back the Northwest League's top slugging team.
In a back-and-forth affair, the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes took the lead for good with a six-run seventh inning and defeated the Hops 12-7. Salem-Keizer (9-12, 26-33) clinched a three-game series they desperately needed to win and will go for the sweep Friday night at 6:35 p.m. with former Oregon ace Matt Krook on the mound.
There were four lead changes in the game, which began with the mercury hovering near 100 degrees in the Willamette Valley. The Hops broke a 5-5 tie when Jason Morozowski singled with one out in the sixth, advaned to second on a Mark Karaviotis walk, hustled to third on a fly out to right by Josh Anderson and raced home on a wild pitch.
At that time, the Hops outfielder was a triple away from the cycle. His three-run homer gave the Hops a 3-1 lead in the third. Salem-Keizer came back with three runs in the bottom of the inning, two scoring on Gio Brusa's two-run homer to right, the Volcanoes' outfielder tying Eugene's Wladimir Galindo with his eighth round tripper of the season. The Hops would respond with two runs in the top of the fourth. Connor Owings reached on a two-out error, stole second and scored on Ben De Luzio's single to left. After De Luzio swiped second base, Morozowski drove him in with a double to the right field corner.
A Julio Pena double and two Tyler Mark wild pitches evened the game 5-5 in the fifth before Morozowski's run in the sixth put the Hops back in front. Hillsboro made it 7-5 in the seventh when Stephen Smith walked, advanced on a wild pitch and scored on shortstop Ryan Howard's wild throw to first on Connor Owings' infield hit.
Down 7-5 in the seventh, the Volcanoes unloaded on Hops' reliever Jake Winston (1-1), who retired the first batter before allowing the next five runners to reach base. After Pena singled and leadoff batter Manuel Geraldo walked, Howard tied the game with a double to the wall in left center. Bryan Reynolds followed with a ground ball up the middle that Manny Jefferson backhanded, but Jefferson's high throw to first glanced off Justin Chigbogu's glove and Howard came around to score the go-ahead run. Leo Rojas, hero of the previous night's game with a walk-off grand slam, put the capper on a six-run outburst with a two-run double off Dallas Newton.
Brusa went 3-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored to pace the Volcanoes offense. Reliever John Timmins (1-0) surrendered two earned runs on three hits and a pair of walks over two innings, but got credit for the win.
Morozowski is now tied for third in the NWL in home runs with sixth. He finished the night 3-for-5 with four RBI and two runs scored. DeLuzio had three hits and two runs scored with an RBI for the Hops.
The loss drops Hillsboro five games behind Eugene following the Emeralds 1-0 win over Boise. Eugene tied its own NWL record with its 14th consecutive win. Hillsboro still leads Salem-Keizer by two games in the second-half standings and maintains a three-game lead over Boise heading into Friday night's series finale. Game time is 6:35 p.m. on Rip City Radio 620 AM with pregame airtime at 6:02 p.m. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.
Northwest League Stories from August 19, 2016
- Two Players Join Volcanoes - Salem-Keizer Volcanoes
- Friday's Fireworks Canceled Due to Extreme - Salem-Keizer Volcanoes
- Dust Devils Return Home for Five Game Home Stand - Tri-City Dust Devils
- Everett's Offense Too Much for Tri-City - Tri-City Dust Devils
- Hops Drop Second Straight at Salem - Hillsboro Hops
- Salem-Keizer Clinches Series with 15-Hit Attack - Salem-Keizer Volcanoes
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