Volcanoes Win Home Run Derby in Series Finale
Published on August 20, 2015 under Northwest League (NWL1)
Hillsboro Hops News Release
Trevor Mitsui's power surge extended to a fifth consecutive game with a pair of home runs, but the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes slugged nine extra base hits to defeat the Hops 10-7 in the final game of their three-game series at Volcanoes Stadium Wednesday.
Ronnie Jebavy hit two home runs and a triple and made two huge catches in center field to star for the Volcanoes (11-10 second half, 31-28 overall), who had dropped 9 of 11 against Hillsboro (13-8, 35-24) until the win. Chris Shaw went 2-for-4 with a double and his seventh home run of the season and Jose Vizcaino, Jr. went 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored for the Volcanoes.
Hops' pitcher Carlos Hernandez (4-2) had his roughest start of the season, surrendering six earned runs on eight hits, including six extra base hits in his 4 1/3 innings. Eric Sim (1-1) tossed 3 1/3 innings of two-hit, scoreless relief to earn the win for the Volcanoes, who moved to within two games of the Hops and stayed one game behind the Eugene Emeralds in the Northwest league second-half standings.
The Hops held a 4-2 lead after Mitsui hit the first pitch he saw out to right for a three-run homer in the first inning. Nate Irving added an RBI double in the fourth. Salem-Keizer tied the score on Jebavy's two-run shot off Hernandez in the fourth, then took the lead when Shaw led off the fifth with a deep drive out to right.
Down 7-4, the Hops rallied in the eighth inning off Ryan Halstead, with Mitsui driving a leadoff shot off the scoreboard in left field for his ninth round tripper of the season, tied with Vancouver's Sean Hurley for the NWL lead. Luis Veras doubled with one out and pinch-hitter Stryker Trahan sent him home with a double down the right field line with two outs. With runners at second and third down 7-6, Sergio Alcantara sent a deep drive to right center field that Jebavy flagged down while falling on the warning track. Earlier in the game, the center fielder from Middle Tennesse St. robbed Mitsui of an RBI extra base hit that would have tied the game in the fifth when he crashed into the wall in right center.
Jebavy took the air out of the Hops balloon with a solo home run to lead off the eighth. John Riley added an RBI double later in the inning and the Volcanoes held on as the Hops brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth against lefty reliver Jaret Leverett. A leadoff error put Dansby Swanson on base and he scored on Mitsui's third hit of the night. After Luis Veras singled to right for his fourth hit of the evening, Nate Irving flied out to, who else, Jebavy, for the final out of the game.
The Hops return to Ron Tonkin Field for the first game of an 8-game home stand Thursday night when they face the Boise Hawks. First pitch is at 7:05 p.m. with the pregame airtime at 6:35 p.m. on Rip City Radio 620 AM.
Northwest League Stories from August 20, 2015
- Indians Team up with American Red Cross Wildfire Relief - Spokane Indians
- Mitsui Looks for Homer in 6th Consecutive Game - Hillsboro Hops
- Volcanoes Win Home Run Derby in Series Finale - Hillsboro Hops
- Jebavy Shines in Series Finale - Salem-Keizer Volcanoes
- Bishop, Simpson Key Win on 4MOM Night - Everett AquaSox
- Emeralds Cut Down Hawks 11-5 - Boise Hawks
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