Emeralds Offense Has Final Sleigh In Comeback Win

The masses were merry at PK Park on Wednesday night where the Eugene Emeralds (39-28) evened the series against their in-state rivals behind a 5-4 victory over the Hillsboro Hops (29-37) in front of a crowd of 2,342 at PK Park.

THE DETAILS:

• Winning Pitcher: Travis Perry (7-1, 2.79 ERA): 3.0 IP | 1 H | 0 R | 1 ER | 3 BB | 3 K

• Losing Pitcher: Brandon Pfaadt (2-3, 3.27 ERA): 6.0 IP | 4 H | 5 R | 3 ER | 2 BB | 11 K

• Save: Chris Wright (6)

• HR(s): Eugene: Genovés (3), Auerbach (5) | Hillsboro: Canzone (7)

HOW IT HAPPENED: Hillsboro opened the scoring for the second straight day, and once again they did so via a three-run outburst.

With Eduardo Diaz on second and Axel Andeuza on first after a four-pitch walk and an infield single, respectively, a passed ball by Emeralds catcher Ricardo Genovés allowed both baserunners to advance ninety feet, and both were brought home to score moments later when Cam Coursey singled up the middle to put the Hops up first, 2-0.

Two batters later, Coursey was brought all the way home from first when leadoff man Jorge Barrosa doubled into the left field corner to make it 3-0 after just an inning and a half.

Eugene wasted no time responding as a Sean Roby single, a Tyler Fitzgerald hit by pitch, and a Ricardo Genovés walk together combined to load the bases for Franklin Labour with no outs in the bottom of the second. The slugger didn’t need the lumber to bring home Eugene’s first run, working a five-pitch walk to score Roby and cut Hillsboro’s lead to two.

With the Emeralds celebrating Christmas in July Night on Wednesday at PK Park, the visiting Hops graciously gifted the Emeralds a pair of runs on a would-be inning-ending groundout off the bat of Ismael Munguia that instead trickled through the five-hole of Hops third baseman Tristin English to allow a pair of Emeralds runs to score and knot the game at 3-3.

The Hops brought presents! 🎁 a lovely gift ties this one up after two. #GoEms x #SFGiants pic.twitter.com/8I8zQjOGJf

— Eugene Emeralds (@EugeneEmeralds) July 22, 2021

Two innings later, the Emeralds were in front for the first time when catcher Ricardo Genovés teed off to lead off the bottom of the fourth inning, his third homer in the last five games, putting the Emeralds ahead heading to the fifth, 4-3.

GENOOOOO 🚀

1⃣0⃣1⃣mph off the bat for his 3⃣rd homer in the last 5⃣ games. #GoEms x #SFGiants pic.twitter.com/WCqf1brtBb

— Eugene Emeralds (@EugeneEmeralds) July 22, 2021

In the fifth, Eugene’s Brett Auerbach continued his scorched earth approach to opposing pitching staffs of late, mashing the first pitch of the inning for his fifth homer in just fifteen games as an Emerald and his second home run in as many days, stretching the Eugene lead to 5-3.

Putting the team on his Auerbach 💪

Back-to-back days with 400+ foot homers for our king, and already 5 HRs in just 15 games an an Emerald. #GoEms x #SFGiants pic.twitter.com/ElFQMVlvms

— Eugene Emeralds (@EugeneEmeralds) July 22, 2021

Not to be outdone, Hilslboro’s Dom Canzone later followed Auerbach’s lead by stroking his second homer in as many days as well, golfing a solo shot over the short porch in right to immediately cut Eugene’s lead in half, 5-4, in the seventh.

Eugene sent closer Chris Wright to the hill in the ninth with the southpaw entering the outing a perfect nine-for-nine in save opportunities this season between Low-A San Jose and High-A Eugene.

Wright immediately ran into trouble, though, surrendering a leadoff single to Dom Canzone that was followed by issuing a full-count walk to Tristin English. Leondany Perez stepped up aiming to move the runners up with a sac bunt, and he would have done so save for an excellent defensive play by the former two-way player Wright who scooped the grounder down the third base line and flipped the ball from his glove to a covering Sean Roby at third to just barely get the force out for the first out of the inning.

Blaze Alexander followed by drawing a walk to load the bases for Eduardo Diaz, but Diaz sent a sharp grounder down the third base line that allowed Roby to smoothly tap the third base bag and fire to first for the game-ending 5-3 double play that sealed a 5-4 Emeralds win.

Emeralds starter Kai-Wei Teng struggled with his control on Wednesday night, firing just 3.0 IP with three hits, three earned runs, four walks and four strikeouts. The Emeralds bullpen was exceptional once more, though, as Travis Perry, Tyler Schimpf and Chris Wright combined to work the final 6.0 innings with a combined four strikeouts while allowing four hits, six walks and one earned run.

PEAK PERFORMERS:

• Brett Auerbach – 2B: Not only has Auerbach homered in back-to-back games, but the Alabama Crimson Tide product also extended his hit streak to seven while finishing 1-for-3 with the solo homer and a walk.

• Travis Perry – RHP: Another studly long-relief outing for the Jersey boy. Perry tallied his league-leading seventh win of the season on Wednesday night after working 3.0 innings with three strikeouts while allowing three walks and just one hit.

• Ricardo Genovés – C: The Emeralds backstop reached in three of four plate appearances on Wednesday, going 1-for-2 with the solo homer, two walks and two runs scored.

WHAT’S NEXT: The Eugene Emeralds and Hillsboro Hops continue their six-game series at PK Park on Thursday evening. First pitch on Thursday between the Emeralds and Hops is slated for 7:05pm PST.

Thursday is Triple Play Thursday at PK Park featuring $5 box seat tickets, $4 parking, and $3 10 Barrel Pub Beer Tall Boys and Large Sodas.

You can catch all the action with Matt Dompe on the call via MiLB.tv, 95.3FM The Score, MiLB.com or on the MiLB app.

Tickets to Emeralds home games are available at www.EmeraldsBaseball.com or by calling (541) 342-5367.

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