Hops Drop Game Two to Salem-Kezier

Salem, OR ---- On a steamy night at Volcanoes Stadium in front of 2,069, the Hillsboro Hops lost their first game of the second half of the Northwest League season. In a game that took two hour and forty-six minutes, the Hops lost 4-1 to the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes (1-1, 24-16).

 

The Volcanoes drew first blood in the bottom of the sixth inning as Jose Martinez (2-2), who had arguably his most impressive outing of the year, allowed his only run on a sacrifice fly from Sam Eberle that scored Brian Ragira.

 

The Volcanoes lead was short-lived, however, as George Roberts came up and hit his first ever professional home run over the right field fence to tie the game at one apiece. Then, in the bottom of the seventh, the Volcanoes would take a lead that they would not give up.

 

On two Hops' errors and one timely base hit from Ragira, the Volcanoes took a 3-1 lead going into the top of the eighth. After the Hops went down in order, Salem-Keizer added one more run in the bottom of the eighth to take a 4-1 lead.

 

Raymundo Montero came on for Volcanoes and made his seventh save of the year as he retired Zach Esquerra, Cesar Carrasco and Roberts in order.

 

The Hops had runners in scoring position with less than two outs in three of the first five innings, but failed to capitalize, going 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position for the game.

Hillsboro has one more game at Salem-Keizer, at 6:35 p.m. on Thursday. The pregame show on Fox Sports Radio 620 and online at www.foxsportsradio620.com begins at 6:05 p.m. Rich Burk and Austin Melhart will call the action.

 Hillsboro returns home on Friday for a special weekday day game to begin a five-game series against the Mariners' affiliate, the Everett Aquasox. Friday's game begins at 1:35, followed by Saturday at 7:05, Sunday at 5:35 and Monday and Tuesday of next week at 7:05 (all times p.m.).