Hops Suffer First Shutout Loss in 111 Games
August 1, 2015 - Northwest League (NWL1)
Hillsboro Hops News Release
PASCO, WASH. --- Further proof you don't play 'em on paper.
Hops starter Jared Miller entered the game on Friday at Tri-City 7-1 with a 1.65 ERA. Dust Devils starter Angel Mejia was 1-2, 7.39. Final score: Tri-City 9, Hillsboro 0.
And whereas Hops pitching leads the league with six shutouts in 2015, it was the first time all year Hillsboro had been blanked. In fact, it was the first time the Hops had been shut out since a 3-0 loss at home to Vancouver on June 24, 2014, a span of 111 games. (And since then, Hops pitching has tossed 10 shutouts.)
Miller wasn't bad... he just wasn't his typical dominant self. Tri-City catcher Austin Allen, a fourth-rounder out of DII Florida Tech, pounded his first home run as a professional to put the Dust Devils up 1-0 in the second. Miller issued a leadoff walk that led to a run in the third. And Ty France doubled home a run against him in the fifth.
Miller (7-2, 1.81) was gone after five innings and 79 pitches, the first time all year he hasn't gone at least six. And the bullpen had issues as well, allowing a run in the sixth, four in the seventh and one in the eighth. Will Landsheft, who entered with a 2.57 ERA, struggled for the first time all season, allowing five runs on five hits and three walks in an inning and a third. Kevin Simmons worked an inning and two-thirds, giving up a run on three hits, a walk and a hit batsman, while also allowing two inherited runners to score.
And while Hillsboro had their chances at the plate, they couldn't capitalize. The Hops had an opportunity to jump in front in the second --- with runners at first and second and no one out, Nate Robertson lined a shot to third base, and Carlos Belen doubled Nate Irving off second. Then in the sixth, trailing 3-0, Hillsboro put runners at first and second with none out and didn't score.
And part of it was bad luck. Mejia, Everett's starter, walked three, allowed six hits and struck out none in his six shutout innings --- and by an unofficial count, gave up nine hard-hit balls.
It simply wasn't the Hops' night.
Hillsboro has now lost consecutive games, and only twice in their last 147 games have they lost three in a row. Left-hander Cody Reed, who himself has been dominant this year but struggled in his last outing, will take the hill for the Hops on Saturday night in Pasco looking to end the losing streak at two.
Saturday's radio pregame show from Gesa Stadium in Pasco begins at 6:45 on Rip City Radio 620AM and www.RipCityRadio.com.
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Northwest League Stories from August 1, 2015
- Hops Look to Rebound at Tri-City, 7:15 PM Saturday - Hillsboro Hops
- Indians Add Salish Language to All-Star Game Jerseys - Spokane Indians
- Emeralds Use Eight Double to Blank Indians - Spokane Indians
- Dust Devils Show Pop, Drop Hops - Tri-City Dust Devils
- Salem-Keizer Clinches Series in High-Scoring Affair - Salem-Keizer Volcanoes
- Hops Suffer First Shutout Loss in 111 Games - Hillsboro Hops
- Hops Suffer First Shutout Loss in 111 Games - Hillsboro Hops
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