By: Joe Krasnowski
EUGENE, OR – In the months before, the frailty of the MiLB season seems more abstract, each game representing an equal 1.32% slice of the season. When you’re in the grind of it, tomorrow’s eclipse any real finality.
Until the end gets here, or closer — and then, for most, all you’re left with is “if only.”
If only Eugene had been sharper out of the early hot stretch, if only it hadn’t taken so long to find their offensive groove. If only the Emeralds had held tighter onto the rope against Vancouver and Spokane.
If only they’d been a little luckier, a little better — in a game as desultory as baseball, a bounce here and there can result in a bevy of wins or a hot-streak.
If only they had more time.
With the end of the season barreling toward them, the Emeralds played the first game of their third-to-last homestand of the year, losing a game in the postseason standings, 8-2 to Spokane.
The Emeralds (44-46) trail Spokane by seven games, and are now two games out of second place. The club plays five more games at home this series before going on a two-week road trip to Vancouver and Everett.
The Emeralds were in position to move up in the playoff standings, they entered a game out of second place. But after the loss — the team’s third loss in four games — the only thing they can be sure of is a general malaise as the season continues ticking down.
Before Tuesday’s game, there was plenty of suspense. It started with word that key players Diego Velasquez and Matt Higgins had been promoted to AA Richmond. It continued when Vaun Brown was sent to Eugene on a rehab assignment pregame.
Wilkelma Castillo flirted with a bounce-back outing but ultimately fell victim to ailments past. He walked two in the third — after blanking Spokane in the first two innings — then allowed a three-run home run to Jesus Bugarin to punctuate the damage.
Castillo gave the Emeralds a quick early boost, facing the minimum over 22 pitches over the first two frames. But nothing compared to the power barrage the Indians delivered, the team hammering Eugene with a bevy of hits.
But ultimately it was Eugene’s offense that doomed the team as Spokane starter Sean Sullivan breezed through five one-run innings, his funky southpaw delivery giving the Emeralds all types of fits.
Sullivan finished with 10 strikeouts, reaching double digits for the third time this season. Deploying four pitchers and adding just five hits was not how the Emeralds wanted to return to PK Park in their home post All-Star break debut.
Short hops
Bryce Eldridge and Tanner O’Tremba are both sporting some new facial hair.
It’s very hard to see the ball in PK Park’s left field. Eugene’s first baserunner of the day came via an Alex Suarez blooper that the Spokane outfield had no chance of seeing.
A bat — removed from the batter via a swing from Jake Snider was stuck in the first base netting for a significant amount of time. A five-man team, spearheaded by in-house emcee Andrew Brown was needed to free the lumber.
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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