By: Joe Krasnowski
EUGENE, OR – The panel was stumped Thursday night, with no one in the Emeralds’ front office able to explain one of baseball’s most peculiar streaks, one that was extended in an 8-4 win over the Tri-City Dust Devils at PK Park.
Though Eugene is having a pedestrian season by any standard, going 33-32 in the first-half and 3-3 now six games past the halfway mark. One person behind the scenes might have had the most impact on any stretch of results thus far — even with recent call ups to Jonah Cox and Bryce Eldridge.
With the Emeralds trailing 2-1 in the bottom of the eighth in Tuesday night’s game against the Dust Devils, Game Director Kyrstin Ginter said 12 words that might have shifted the Emeralds’ luck more than any technical adjustment or coaching decision.
“We know about the bad news Ems… What about the bad Ems?” Eugene’s behind-the-scenes extraordinaire pondered.
Indeed, the Emeralds were playing badly — the team had lost three-straight and was six outs away from an ever-disastrous four-game losing streak.
But since those words were uttered, the Emeralds luck has shifted immensely.
First, it was Tuesday’s five-run eighth. Just minutes after Ginter’s words were uttered, Thomas Gavello had blasted a homerun off the development center in right.
Then, a blowout victory sparked by Eugene’s offense — something the Emeralds were desperately in need of with a taxed bullpen, and occasionally suspect pitching staff — accounted for win two.
“The streak,” Ginter said. “Might be real.”
But no more so was that feeling transcending on the production room than during game three’s win.
Cesar Perdomo’s debut happened — the left-hander dealt over five scoreless in his first ever High-A. His outing, coupled with Zach Morgan’s three-run homerun were just enough for the team’s victory.
Even Ginter, who doubles as the team’s Creative Director when not directing games, struggled to explain the streak.
“It has to be real, no other reason for it.” The Ems’ lucky charm said after Morgan’s home run.
Tri-City tried to rally back, but their two-run effort in the seventh was no contest for the Ems’ five-run eighth. And all in all, with this streak, the result remain the same.
It lives.
Eventually, the stretch will end. Eventually the Ems won’t be perfect, their opponents won’t help, as has been the case far too often this season. The Ems aren’t perfect, luck isn’t always theirs.
But as Thomas Gavello’s grand slam was backed up by Cam Cotter shutting the door in the ninth, that same sentiment couldn’t feel farther from reality.
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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