Three Boise Blasts Even Series

The Hillsboro Hops had given up the fewest home runs in the Northwest League, while Boise hadn't left the yard in four games since the midway break of the season. But a back-and-forth game of home run derby went the way of the home team Saturday night.
In a see-saw affair that featured three ties and four lead changes, Trevor Boone launched a two-run home run over the scoreboard in left field to lead the Hawks (2-3 second half, 17-26 overall) to an 8-7 win over the Hops (3-2, 27-16). It was the third home run of the night for the Hawks and the second of the year for the Big 12 home run champ, who slugged 22 during the college season at Oklahoma State, including a game-winner in the ninth in the NCAA Regionals against Nebraska.

Renton, Washington native and Whitworth University graduate Joel Condreay picked up the win with 2 1/3 innings of hitless relief to improve to 2-1 on the season. Jacob Wallace nailed down his seventh save with a 1-2-3 ninth, striking out two.
Bladimir Restituyo and Aaron Schunk also went deep for the Hawks, who outhit the Hops 10-9. Andy Yerzy hit a three-run homer for Hillsboro that gave the Hops a 6-4 lead in the fifth inning. But Schunk followed with a two-run blast off Marcos Tineo in the bottom of the frame to even the score.
Tineo, untouchable in the first bullpen appearance of his three-year pro career on Monday, was rocked for six hits and five earned runs over three innings in a game where Boise and Hillsboro traded blows throughout.
The Hops took the lead in the sixth on a two-out RBI single by Jesus Marriaga, but a spectacular diving catch at the warning track in right center field by Boise center fielder Joe Aeilts robbed Kristian Robinson of an RBI triple and probably saved the game for the Hawks.
Justin Garcia (0-2) surrendered the Boone home run in the eighth, the fourth long ball that he has allowed this season. Garcia recorded the final out in the sixth inning after Boise loaded the bases on walks, then pitched a 1-2-3 seventh inning before Yorvis Torrealba bounced a leadoff single through the shortstop hole to open the eighth. Boone hit a towering blow to straightaway left on a 2-2 pitch, clearing the tall scoreboard at Memorial Stadium with ease, one night after striking out four times to take over the NWL lead in K's.
Bladimir Restituyo got the Hawks on the board early with a solo home run to left off Hops starter Andrew Saalfrank. It was the only base runner allowed over the Hoosier lefty's two innings. Five of Saalfrank's six outs were strikeouts.
The Hops tied the game in the bottom of the second with Tristin English leading off with the first of his two doubles, later scoring on a double play grounder after a Boise error.
Hillsboro handed Tineo a 3-1 lead after Ricky Martinez doubled, went to third on a David Garza, Jr. base hit and scored on a balk by Boise starting pitcher Micah Kaczor, making his first start after signing a free agent contract with the Rockies earlier in the week. Garza would score later in the inning on an errant throw by the third baseman Schunk, Boise's sixth error of the series.
A Hops error put Tyler Plantier aboard to lead off the third, but Tineo got Jesus Azuaje to ground into a double play. With two outs and none on, Aeilts tripled off the wall in left, before the Hawks evened the score 3-3 on back-to-back doubles by Restituyo and Schunk, who was thrown out trying to stretch to a triple.
Aeilts finished with three hits and Restituyo scored three runs for Boise. Martinez reached base three times for the second consecutive game, extending his hitting streak to six games with a double and a triple, while scoring two runs. The first-year infielder from the University of Tennessee is batting .500 during the streak. Garza also reached base three times, going 2-for-4 with two runs to push his hitting streak to five games. Yerzy's home run, a deep blast to right on the first pitch thrown by reliever Keven Pimentel, was his fourth home run of the season and first since July 13 at Boise.
The Hops are now tied with Eugene atop the NWL South Division second-half standings with Boise and Salem-Keizer a game back.
The teams wrap up the three-game series with an afternoon game Sunday. Pregame airtime is at 4 p.m. Pacific time on NBC Sports Northwest Rip City Radio 620 AM with the first pitch scheduled for 4:15. Second round draft pick Tommy Henry out of the University of Michigan will make his second Hops start and fellow second rounder Ryne Nelson out of the University of Oregon will also pitch for the Hops.