By: Jacob Archer
HILLSBORO, OR — The Emeralds bats were quiet for most of the night but after tying up the game in the 7th they weren’t able to complete the comeback as they fell to Hillsboro by a final score of 3-2. The Ems have now dropped the first 2 games of the series and 3 straight games overall.
The Hops were able to get on the board first in tonight’s matchup with a 2-run 2nd inning. Jack Hurley belted his 5th home run of the season for the first run of the night. The next batter Juan Corniel was able to single and stole 2nd base. There was a wild pitch that Zach Morgan wasn’t able to get to behind the plate and he wasn’t quite sure where the ball went either. It was bouncing around behind home and Corniel was able to score all the way from 2nd base on the wild pitch to give the Hops the 2-0 lead.
Ems starter Hayden Wynja was able to settle in after that 2 run frame. He ended his night pitching 6 innings and allowing 5 hits and 2 earned runs. He struck out a season-high 8 Hops batters and allowed just 1 walk. It was a great sign to see Wynja settle in after the 2nd inning as he retired 9 straight Hops batters.
The Ems were able to get their first couple of runs of the game in the top of the 7th inning. Zach Morgan led the inning off with a solo home run which was his 2nd homer of the season. After a couple of quick outs Alexander Suarez hit a single up the middle to put the game tying run on. That brought up the leadoff man Turner Hill with a chance to deliver a clutch base hit. He ripped a shot down the 1st base line that just went foul and it would’ve all but scored Suarez on the play. On the very next pitch he ripped another shot down the 1st base line but this time he was able to keep it fair for an RBI-triple that plated Suarez on the play. It was a great moment for Hill and the team and they were fired up to be back in the game.
Hops starter Spencer Giesting had quieted the Ems bats for the first 6 innings, but they were finally able to get to him in the 7th which proved to be his final inning of work. He gave up 7 hits and 2 earned runs while walking 1 batter and striking out 9.
In the bottom of the 7th inning the Hops were able to push home the go-ahead run as Manuel Pena delivered an RBI-Single that scored Jack Hurley on the play. That run proved to be enough in tonight’s loss. In the top of the 9th inning the Ems needed just 1 run to tie and they got the first 2 runners on via walk and an error. Unfortunately for the Ems the next 3 batters weren’t able to do anything as they fell to the in-state rival Hillsboro Hops for the 2nd straight night.
The Ems will need to find their way back into the win column as they now sit 3.5 games out of 1st place. They’ll have a chance to seek revenge tomorrow with a matinee game here at Hillsboro Ballpark. 2021 first round pick Will Bednar will be on the mound for Eugene making his HIgh-A debut with first pitch set for 1:05 P.M.
The Eugene Emeralds are the High-A affiliate of Major League Baseball’s San Francisco Giants. The Eugene Emeralds are dedicated to providing the best in family entertainment and creating a fun, safe environment for everyone to enjoy watching a baseball game. For more information, please visit our website at www.EmeraldsBaseball.com or call the Emeralds front office at 541-342-5367. • Emeraldsbaseball.com • Facebook.com/EugeneEmeraldsfanpage • Twitter.com/EugeneEmeralds
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