Hops Stumble to 4-2 Loss in Playoff Opener
September 8, 2015 - Northwest League (NWL1)
Hillsboro Hops News Release
KEIZER, ORE. --- Exactly one year from the day the 2014 Hillboro Hops won the Northwest League title, the 2015 Hops began their playoff quest. And in a mistake-filled, frustrating opener at Volcanoes Stadium on Monday night, Salem-Keizer beat Hillsboro 4-2. The Volcanoes are one win away from taking the best-of-three South Division Series.
It wasn't pretty from the beginning. Nate Robertson, the normally sure-handed and accurate-armed third baseman, bobbled a ball (which was ruled a hit) and threw another away in the bottom of the first, leading to an unearned run.
Robertson made amends in the second by singling home Luis Veras, tying the game 1-1. Veras had led off the inning with a base hit, and advanced to second on a Gerard Hernandez ground out.
But it was the third through fifth innings that would define this game. Hillsboro had chance after chance against Volcanoes starter Michael Connolly --- first and second and none out in the third, second and third and none out in the fourth, first and third and two down in the fifth --- and out of all that got just one run, on a Hernandez sacrifice fly in the fourth.
The Volcanoes scored two in the fourth to move in front 3-2. Chris Shaw and Jose Vizcaino Jr. led off with singles, John Riley laid down a sacrifice bunt, and Byron Murray drove home a run on a ground-out, reaching base on an error on Swanson. Vizcaino scored the go-ahead run on a safety squeeze bunt laid down by Fernando Pujadas.
Salem-Keizer added a run in the fifth on a walk to Steven Duggar, a base hit by Shaw and a wild pitch from Hops starter Cody Reed. Reed went five innings (on 79 pitches), allowing four hits, four runs (two earned), with two walks and four strikeouts.
Connolly wasn't superb, but made the pitches he needed to make. He allowed nine hits in six innings (with one walk and five strikeouts), but Hillsboro stranded nine men on base in those six frames.
In the seventh, the Salem-Keizer bullpen took over. Caleb Smith worked a perfect sixth and seventh, and Ryan Halstead mowed down the Hops in a 1-2-3 ninth.
Hillsboro's bullpen was nearly as good --- Breckin Williams worked a perfect sixth, and Ariel Hernandez allowed two hits in two scoreless innings --- but the damage had already been done.
Hillsboro is now in unfamiliar territory --- the first time in their three seasons they have needed a win to keep their season alive. In fact, they need two.
Right-hander Carlos Hernandez will take center stage at Ron Tonkin Field for the Hops on Tuesday. The Northwest League Pitcher of the Year --- he was 6-3 and led the league in ERA (2.32) and strikeouts (93) --- will be on the hill trying to save the season. He'll be opposed by Salem-Keizer lefty Grant Watson, who is 0-1, 4.50 in three starts since his promotion from the Arizona Rookie League.
First pitch on Tuesday will be at 7:05 PM, with the radio pregame show on Rip City Radio 620 AM starting at 6:35.
Northwest League Stories from September 8, 2015
- 7:05 PM: Hops Host Game 2 of South Division Series - Hillsboro Hops
- Shaw Named NWL Player of the Week - Salem-Keizer Volcanoes
- Dust Devils Home Tonight for Game 2 - Tri-City Dust Devils
- Volcanoes take opener in NWL playoffs - Salem-Keizer Volcanoes
- Dust Devils Outlast AquaSox in 16 Innings - Everett AquaSox
- Hops Stumble to 4-2 Loss in Playoff Opener - Hillsboro Hops
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