Big Comeback Falls Short In Series Clincher

The Hillsboro Hops could not make magic happen for the second time in their opening homestand.

The Salem-Keizer Volcanoes ran up an 8-0 lead and nearly let the Hops off the hook before holding on for an 8-6 win at Ron Tonkin Field Thursday afternoon, clinching the three-game series two games to one.

The Hops sent ten men to the plate in the seventh inning, scoring six runs to make a game of it. Volcanoes reliever Cesar Yanez faced six batters without recording an out. Yanez walked three batters and gave up a two-RBI single to Hops catcher Gavin Stupienski after a wild pitch scored the first run of the inning. Luis Pino replaced Yanez and allowed an RBI single to Eudy Ramos, extending the Hops' third baseman's hitting streak to eight games. Two more runs scored on a wild pitch and a fielders choice to pull the Hops within reach.
Hillsboro's rally faltered when they went down in order in the eighth inning against Pino and the game ended with a line out double play in the ninth after Bryan Araiza reached on a one-out walk to bring the tying run to the plate.
Hops starting pitcher Mitch Aker pitched well, but was a victim of bad luck and bad defense. Aker went 5 2/3 innings and struck out seven with one base on balls, allowing six hits and four runs, three earned. Salem-Keizer plated four unearned runs in the seventh inning off Hops reliever Rafael Pujols before the comeback rally.
Ryan Kirby scored four of Salem-Keizer's eight runs, going 2-for-4 with a walk. Manuel Geraldo went 3-for-4 with and RBI double and a run scored.
Yan Sanchez struggled at shortstop, starting for the departed Domingo Leyba. Sanchez had two errors and another dropped pop fly that turned into an out, but allowed a run to score. He did extend his hitting streak to eight games with a first-inning single and drove in a run with a fielders choice in the seventh inning. The first of the Diamondbacks' 2017 draft class made his Hops debut as Daulton Varsho, selected in the Competitive Balance Round B out of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, started at designated hitter and went 0-for-3 with a walk and a run scored.
The Hops also welcomed first-round draft pick Pavin Smith, a first baseman out of the University of Virginia, along with former Oregon Ducks catcher Tim Susnara, an eighth-round selection, and ninth-round infielder Camden Duzenack out of Dallas Baptist.
Heath Slatton was credited with the victory for Salem-Keizer, tossing three shutout innings of relief with three strikeouts and one hit allowed.
The Hops continue their homestand with three games against the Boise Hawks, starting Friday night. Pregame airtime is at 6:35 with the first pitch at 7:05 on Rip City Radio 620 AM. The game will also be televised live on Comcast Sportsnet NW.