Behind Big Innings, Ems Take Game 2

Scoring in four of the first five innings, the bats came alive and Los Monarcas De Eugene held on late to hold off a Vancouver comeback and take game two 8-4 in front 4,067 at PK Park.

Nelson Velazquez got the offense started with a single to right field on the first pitch he saw off Canadians (0-2) starter Jose Espada (0-1), scoring on a Jonathan Sierra double to left one pitch later to make it 1-0.
After Sierra stole third, Luis Diaz grounded a ball to the shortstop Vinny Capra, who threw to first to get the out but allowed Sierra to score.
It was in the third inning when the Ems (2-0) offense took off, scoring three runs, with two coming with two outs. Fernando Kelli walked to lead-off the inning before moving to second on a wild pitch and then to third on an errant pick-off attempt by Espada.
Jonathan Soto drove a ball to center field, and while Tanner Kirwer made the catch, the speed of Kelli made him not even attempt a throw home as Kelli made it 3-0.
Espada got Christopher Morel to strike out before Velazquez singled followed by a Sierra double to put runners at second and third.
Diaz came up big again, grounding a ball between short and third and into left, scoring Velazquez and Sierra before he was thrown out trying to get to second base, ending the inning but making it a 5-0 game.
The Canadians struck back against Ems starter Jeffrey Passantino (1-0) in the fourth after Kirwer singled to lead-off the inning before Nick Podkul tripled. Christopher Bec then grounded out to score Podkul to make it 5-2.
Two more runs for the Ems, one in the fourth on an RBI single from Kelli and again in the fifth on Sierra's second RBI of the night, got the lead back up to five to a 7-2 game.
Vancouver scored in the eighth after loading the bases with no one out off of Mitch Stophel. Eugenio Palma relieved Stophel and gave up a sac fly to Podkul before getting a lineout double play to end the inning.
Eugene countered with a run of their own on a Luis Vazquez single, scoring Diaz. The Canadians added one more in the ninth to make it 8-4 before Palma shut the door.
Ems starter Passantino pitched well enough to earn his first win with the Ems, and his fourth win overall this year in just his first professional start. Passantino went 5 innings, giving up three hits and two runs while striking out five.
The next game is Sunday, June 17^th at 5:05 pm. The Ems will send young lefty Brailyn Marquez to the bump, while Jordan Barrett will go for Vancouver. 500 kid's glove will be given away at the home plate gate when gates open at 4 pm.