EUGENE, Ore.— The Eugene Emeralds (57-40) scored all six of their runs in the fourth inning as they defeated the Everett AquaSox (56-39), 6-4.
EUGENE, Ore.— The Eugene Emeralds (57-40) scored all six of their runs in the fourth inning as they defeated the Everett AquaSox (56-39), 6-4.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Starting pitchers Tyler Driver of the AquaSox and Aaron Phillips of the Emeralds each led off with three scoreless innings with both teams scoring in the fourth. The AquaSox scored first on one of the more unusual plays of the season. Justin Lavey hit a ball into right-center field where outfielders Kwan Adkins and Franklin Labour each attempted to make a catch right in front of the warning track. The two fielders sprinted towards the ball before violently colliding as they both reached up to attempt a catch, causing the baseball to bounce off one or both of their glove(s) and over the outfield fence, giving Lavey a three-run home run as Joseph Rosa and Kennie Taylor each scored on the play as the AquaSox had a 3-0 lead.
The Emeralds quickly answered with a big fourth inning of their own. Marco Luciano scored Eugene's first run on a Jairo Pomares single. Armani Smith closed the deficit to one run when he scored on a wild pitch and then the Emeralds tied the game at 3-3 on Logan Wyatt's sacrifice fly to right field that scored Pomares. The Emeralds took the lead two batters later when Carter Aldrete hit a three-run home run that scored Ricardo Genoves and Labour to give Eugene a 6-3 lead.
The AquaSox scored the game's final run in the eighth inning when Rosa singled up the middle to score Connor Hoover. Closer Chris Wright pitched a scoreless ninth inning, solidifying Eugene’s 6-4 victory.
WRAPPING IT UP
Rosa went 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI in his first game since missing more than a week with an injury. Lavey was 1-for-3 with a walk and the three-run home run. Fred Villarreal pitched two shutout innings in relief for the AquaSox, allowing two hits, one walk and four strikeouts as he lowered his season ERA to 2.52. Jarod Bayless pitched his second scoreless inning of the week after just returning from an injury that sidelined him for almost two months.
Eugene won five of the seven games in the series, but the AquaSox have the season edge in head-to-head games with a 15-10 advantage. The last 14 games between the AquaSox and Emeralds have all been decided by three runs or less.
LOOKING AHEAD
The AquaSox return to Funko Field on Tuesday, August 24 for a 13-game homestand. The Spokane Indians will be in town for the first time this year for a seven-game series, followed by a six-game series against the Vancouver Canadians.
