Scorin' for Doran
Published on July 31, 2014 under Northwest League (NWL1)
Hillsboro Hops News Release
One night after their worst performance of the season, the Hops responded with one of their best.
Ryan Doran notched another quality start, the Hops played flawless defense behind him and Zach Esquerra's three-run home run to right field in the sixth inning highlighted a 12-hit attack as Hillsboro defeated the Spokane Indians 9-1 in the opening game of their five-game series at Avista Stadium.
It was a matchup of first half championship teams and a matchup of All-Star pitchers as Doran (4-3) outdueled Spokane's Richelson Pena (4-3) with the assistance of a strong offensive attack, something the second-year right hander has rarely received this year.
Doran pitched shutout ball into the seventh inning, but the Hops had just a 2-0 lead until Esquerra cleared the short right field porch with an opposite field blow. It was his first home run for the Hops in his second game back at Hillsboro. The second-year right filelder from La Habra, California hit four home runs this year at long A South Bend and now has nine career homers at Hillsboro, tops in franchise history.
Doran, who struck out a season-high eight with no walks, checked out of the game after surrendering an RBI double to Spokane first baseman Fernando VIvili with two outs in the seventh inning. In ten starts this year, Doran, whose team-leading earned run average dropped to 2.56, has pitched no fewer than 5 2/3 innings and surrendered no more than three earned runs.
Cody Geyer fanned Ian Kiner-Falefa to end the inning before retiring the side in order in the eighth. Luis Ramirez pitched a scoreless ninth with two strikeouts. The three pitchers combined for zero bases on balls, while the Hops played error-free defense one night after tying a season-worst with five in an 11-2 loss to Boise.
Stryker Trahan, the Diamondbacks' number one draft pick in 2012, doubled down the left field line leading off the second inning for his first hit in a Hops uniform. Trahan should have been tagged out after he broke for third on a Jordan Parr grounder to third baseman Juremi Profar, but Profar inexplicably failed to make a tag attempt on Trahan and threw late to first. Nate Irving followed with a sacrifice fly to left center for his first professional run batted in and Nate Robertson delivered a double down the right field line to put the Hops up 2-0.
Pena retired 11 consecutive Hops batters until a one-out base hit by Kevin Cron in the sixth. After Trahan was hit by a pitch with two outs, Esquerra followed hit a 1-2 Pena pitch just beyond the short wall in straight right field to give Hillsboro a 5-0 lead.
The Hops pounded reliever Erik Swanson for three runs on three hits in the seventh, an inning when even all three outs were crushed, two hit to the wall in straightaway center by Cron and Trahan. Three consecutive hits in the eighth off Luis Pollorena netted the final run of the night when Nate Robertson plated Parr with a single for his second RBI and Parr's second run of the evening.
Five of the Hops 12 hits went for extra bases. Cron went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored including his second double in as many nights. Trahan scored twice and Parr, Irving and Robertson, the bottom three in the order, each had two hits.
Pepe Cardona went 2-for-4 with a double and scored Spokane's only run.
The Hops (6-3 2nd half, 28-19 overall) and Indians (3-6, 28-19) are now tied with Vancouver (3-6, 28-19) for the best overall record in the Northwest League after the Canadians squandered a 7-1 lead in an 8-7 loss at Boise.
Austin Platt (1-2, 3.18 era) gets the start on the hill tonight for the Hops against Spokane's Derek Thompson (4-4, 3.38). Catch all of the live action on Rip City Radio 620 AM beginning with the pregame show at 6:05, first pitch comes your way at 6:35 on the air or online at foxportsradio620.com.
Northwest League Stories from July 31, 2014
- Reggy the Purple Party Dude to Appear at All-Star Game - Eugene Emeralds
- Hillsboro Scores Early and Often on Way to Win - Hillsboro Hops
- Sloppy Hops Routed in Series Finale - Hillsboro Hops
- Scorin' for Doran - Hillsboro Hops
- Volcanoes Use Late Rally to Beat Tri-City - Tri-City Dust Devils
- Hawks Erase 7-0 Deficit to Beat Vancouver 8-7 - Boise Hawks
- Vancouver Blows Seven-Run Lead; Fall 8-7 To Boise - Vancouver Canadians
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