Hops Take Sole Possession of First Place

The Hillsboro Hops transformed into the Portland Mavericks in a Monday Night showdown of first place teams. Salem-Keizer and Hillsboro both entered with 19-11 records, as it was Luis Frias for Hillsboro and Kervin Castro for the Volcanoes.

Per usual with these two teams, there were fireworks early and often. The Volcanoes put two runs up in the top of the frame off Hillsboro's Frias. Frias punched his first two hitters out and then Salem punched back. Catcher Ricardo Genoves began the scoring with an RBI double to left field, scoring Franklin Labour. Genoves came around to score on a Tyler Fitzgerald single to put the Volcanoes out front early.
Hillsboro punched back in the bottom half of the second inning by means of a Tristin English triple that scored outfielder Kristian Robinson. Ricky Martinez grounded out to short but it was deep enough to score English tying the ballgame at two.  
The teams traded zeros until the top of the fifth inning, when Sean Roby smacked a double scoring lead-off man Simon Whiteman. However Salem could not ride the momentum train, as they were in need of a shut down inning, but failed to get one. Catcher Daniel Wasinger came through with a big hit in a big spot by ripping a double that scored both JesusMarriaga and Martinez.  
In the top of the sixth inning, the Volcanoes had trouble brewing against Hops reliever Erin Baldwin. Go-to man Justin Douglas Garcia came in and shut down the threat.  
Salem started the top half of the seventh inning with a triple down the right field line by Whiteman but the early threat was thwarted by a huge strikeout recorded by Eduardo Herrera, and then a soft liner to center.  
Once again Salem put guys on in the top of the eighth against Hops flamethrower Herrera but once again the Hops escaped the jam when the Hops picked off the baserunner Fitzgerald.  
Hillsboro called upon Bryan Menendez for the save up a run in the ninth inning. The Volcanoes brought the tying run to second base with two outs but a hard hit liner to left ended the game putting the Hops in sole possession of first place of the Southern Division in the Northwest League.  
The series finale will commence at 7:05pm on Tuesday Night, with a Dansby Swanson bobblehead giveaway going to the first 1000 fans at Ron Tonkin Field. Catch all the action on Rip City Radio 620 AM with Matt Richert beginning at 6:35pm with the pregame show.