HILLSBORO – The Eugene Emeralds (52-38) won their second straight game on Sunday to secure a series split against the Hillsboro Hops (42-47) at Ron Tonkin Field.
With the win the Ems again gained ground on the first place Everett AquaSox who the Emeralds will host at PK Park for a seven-game series starting on Tuesday.
Fresh off an emotional 11-6 win the night prior, the Emeralds entered Sunday’s midday matchup with the Hops aiming to head home winners of two straight and with wind in their sails ahead of this week’s upcoming home series against Everett.
However, for just the second time in the six-game series in Hillsboro, the Hops struck first and they did so in the very first inning on Sunday.
Hillsboro leadoff man Jorge Barrosa put the Hops up from the jump by leading off the bottom of the first with a solo homer to right, his third homer of the season, to put the Hops ahead after sending just one batter to the plate.
It stayed 1-0 through he fifth as the Emeralds did not tally their first hit until the fifth inning, but the potent Emeralds offense came to life in the sixth.
Heath Quinn led off the sixth with a double to left field, and Tyler Fitzgerald followed in the ensuing at-bat by reaching on a fielding error from Hillsboro’s Blaze Alexander. Two batters later, Armani Smith brought Quinn home from second by stroking a sharp single to left, and Sean Roby followed by lacing a double to deep right-center field that scored both Fitzgerald and Smith to put the Emeralds up by two, 3-1, heading to the home half of the sixth.
The Hops wasted no time responding, though, as Eduardo Diaz continued to stay hot at the plate by lining an RBI double to left that scored Cam Coursey who had led off the inning with an infield single, and Diaz came into score two batters later after he took off for third on a stolen base attempt and then advanced home on the very same play after Emeralds catcher Ricardo Genovés fired a low throw that got past Sean Roby at third and trickled down the line into left field.
After a scoreless seventh, Eugene regained the lead and they did so thanks to a big blast from Sean Roby who broke the 3-3 tie by belting his fourteenth homer of the season and his fifth in the month of August, a solo blast to left to lead off the eighth inning.
That proved to be all that the Emeralds bullpen needed as Austin Reich struck out the side in the bottom of the eighth and closer Chris Wright worked a relatively carefree ninth to earn his tenth save as an Emerald and earn Eugene a series split against their in-state rivals.
With Eugene’s win and another loss by Everett, the Emeralds will enter this week’s home series against the AquaSox just three games behind the first place Frogs in the High-A West standings.
The Eugene Emeralds enjoy an off day on Monday before opening up a seven-game series against the visiting Everett AquaSox at PK Park in Eugene. The series starts on Tuesday with box seat tickets discounted 50% when you purchase online at www.EmeraldsBaseball.com.
PEAK PERFORMERS:
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