EUGENE, Ore. -- The Everett AquaSox (56-38) maintained first place, splitting the doubleheader with the Eugene Emeralds (56-40).
EUGENE, Ore. -- The Everett AquaSox (56-38) maintained first place, splitting the doubleheader with the Eugene Emeralds (56-40).
GAME ONE
Brett Auerbach led off the bottom of the first inning with a deep blast off the center field wall that got away from outfielder Victor Labrada, resulting in an inside the park home run. Auerbach scored again in the third inning on an Armani Smith RBI single that extended the lead to 2-0. The Emeralds added on their third and final run of the game in the fifth inning when Tyler Fitzgerald scored on a Marco Luciano single.
AquaSox designated hitter Matt Scheffler prevented Emeralds starting pitcher Kai-Wei Teng from throwing a shutout when he blasted a solo home run over the left field fence in the seventh inning. Teng retired the next two batters to give the Emeralds a 3-1 win.
GAME TWO
The AquaSox scored a first-inning run when Dariel Gomez singled, scoring Cade Marlowe for a 1-0 lead. The Emeralds tied the game up at 1-1 as Kwan Adkins scored all the way from first base when ‘Sox pitcher Jimmy Joyce picked up a Fitzgerald bunt and threw the ball past first baseman Tyler Keenan. The game remained tied at 1-1 through the seventh inning and the teams headed to extra innings.
Victor Labrada gave the Sox a 2-1 lead in the eighth inning when he scored from second base on a ground ball off the bat of Connor Hoover. Marlowe got on base with a single, setting up a Keenan two-out, two-run double that scored Hoover and Marlowe, putting the Frogs ahead 4-1.
The Emeralds made things interesting in the bottom of the eighth inning, scoring two runs. Trailing 4-3, Logan Wyatt then stepped up to the plate with runners on second and third, but left fielder Kennie Taylor ended the Emeralds’ rally with a sliding catch in foul territory to preserve the AquaSox win.
WRAPPING IT UP
Starting pitching was the story of the night with four solid performances. Emeralds’ starter Teng pitched a complete game in the opener, going seven innings and allowing only three hits, one run, two walks while striking out 11 batters. AquaSox pitcher Stephen Kolek kept his team in the game by going 4.2 innings, allowing eight hits, one walk and a career-high 11 strikeouts. ‘Sox reliever Nolan Hoffman pitched a scoreless 1.1 innings, allowing only one hit and striking out three.
Joyce made his ‘Sox debut by pitching the first five innings of the second game, allowing only two hits, one unearned run, one walk and eight strikeouts. Brendan McGuigan pitched a scoreless sixth inning before giving way to Nate Fisher who pitched a scoreless seventh and then picked up the win by completing the eighth.
Jasier Herrera started the second game for the Emeralds and went four innings, allowing five hits, one run, zero walks and six strikeouts. Travis Perry pitched two perfect innings in relief and struck out two ‘Sox hitters.
LOOKING AHEAD
The AquaSox and Emeralds wrap up their seven game series on Sunday, August 22. RHP Tyler Driver(2-2, 8.49 ERA) will start for the AquaSox and the Eugene pitcher is to be determined. Listen to all of the action on KRKO; the pre game show will begin at 4:50 p.m. with the first pitch scheduled for 5:05 p.m. The AquaSox will have Monday, August 23 off and then begin a 13 game homestand on Tuesday, August 24.
