Hillsboro Wins Nooner at The Nat

VANCOUVER, B.C. --- Hillsboro starting pitcher Ryan Doran combined with three relievers --- Cody Geyer, Luis Ramirez and Zac Curtis --- to shut down the Vancouver Canadians in a Friday day game at sold-out Nat Bailey Stadium. Hillsboro won 6-3, their third win in four tries in the five-game series. The Hops are the first visiting team since August 2012 to win a five-game set at Vancouver.

Blue Jays pitching prospect Jairo Labourt, a 20-year-old left-hander, had his start moved from Thursday to Friday so he could pitch with Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos in attendance. Labourt struggled, walking five, hitting two batters and allowing four hits and four runs (three earned) in four innings.

Doran, meanwhile, was... well, Doran. He allowed three runs (two earned) in six innings, the eighth time in nine starts he's gone between six and seven innings, each time allowing between zero and three earned runs. (In the other game, he allowed one earned run in 5.2 innings.) Vancouver notched eight hits off Doran, but as usual, he minimized the damage, allowing no walks while striking out two. Geyer, Ramirez and Curtis each worked a hitless, scoreless inning, with Curtis earning his league-leading 11th save in 12 chances.

The Hops got on the board in the top of the first, loading the bases with no one out. Grant Heyman grounded into a double play to bring home a run, but that's all they would get in the inning.

After Vancouver tied it 1-1 on an RBI hit by Ryan McBroom in the bottom of the first, Hillsboro regained the lead in the top of the third. Steve Nyisztor doubled, Taylor Ard was hit by a pitch, Grant Heyman singled home a run and Jake Mayers brought home another with a ground-out to third.

Ard added a run-scoring single in the fourth to increase the Hops' lead to 4-1. Vancouver scored single runs in the fifth and sixth --- the second one unearned --- off Doran to cut the Hops' lead to 4-3. But Hillsboro opened it up again in the top of the seventh. Ard walked, Heyman brought him home with a majestic double to center, and Mayers' single scored Heyman.

The Hops are 5-2 on the trip, 3-1 in the second half and 25-17 overall. Vancouver is 1-3 in the second half, 26-16 overall.

In the series finale on Saturday, Hillsboro will try to become the first visiting team since Spokane from July 9-13, 2008 to take four of five at Nat Bailey Stadium (there have been 26 five-game series at The Nat since it last happened). Right-hander Austin Platt (1-2, 4.03 in five games, four starts) will take the hill for the Hops. Righty Miguel Castro (5-2, 2.52 in eight starts) will oppose him.

Pregame airtime on Rip City Radio 620 AM and www.foxsportsradio620.com will be 6:35. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05.