Four-Run Sixth Fuels Comeback Win

Wednesday night saw the Eugene Emeralds (2-0) pick up their second win in as many games to start the 2021 season, downing the Spokane Indians (0-2) in comeback fashion with an 8-6 win in front of 1,642 fans at Avista Stadium in Spokane, Washington.

The win wasn’t easy and, at times, wasn’t pretty, either, seeing the Ems fall behind by a two right out of the chute. Spokane took the game’s first lead in the game’s first inning, plating a pair of runs thanks to a Brenton Doyle RBI double which preceded an RBI groundout by Michael Toglia.

Spokane’s two-run advantage held until the fourth inning when Emeralds third baseman Sean Roby tattooed his second homer in as many games, a two-run, line drive shot over the left field fence to tie the game at 2-2.

The Indians immediately responded with a line drive four-bagger of their own, though, as Michael Toglia collected his second RBI of the game with his second homer of the season, a solo shot to put the home side back in front, 3-2.

Spokane surrendered the lead in the sixth, though, an inning that ultimately saw ten Emeralds come to the plate and four come all the way around to score.

After loading the bases with one out, Ems second baseman Tyler Fitzgerald delivered a line drive double down the left field line to score two runs and put Eugene in front for the first time in the game, 4-3. Two batters later, Ismael Munguia brought home the inning’s third run with a sac fly to right, and Patrick Bailey followed in the ensuing at-bat with an RBI single to stretch Eugene’s lead to 6-3.

The Ems added to their advantage in the seventh when Munguia – making his first start of the season – drove home a pair of runs with an RBI single to right field to balloon the visitor’s lead up to 8-3.

Spokane quickly responded, though, answering Eugene’s two runs with two of their own in the home half of the inning when John Cresto blasted his second homer in as many games, a no-doubt liner to left that put the Indians back within three.

It became a two-run ballgame in the eighth when Cresto again brought home a run, this time on an RBI single to score Toglia.

However, despite some tense moments down the stretch, the Ems were able to shut the door thanks to a strong performance by Jose Marte who recorded the final four outs of the game for the Ems to seal an 8-6 win.

Munguia’s three RBIs tied Spokane’s Cresto for the game-high mark while Bailey, Diego Rincones and Logan Wyatt each finished with multi-hit games.

Starting pitcher Kai-Wei Teng settled in nicely after surrendering two runs in the first, allowing three hits, three earned runs and two walks while notching five strikeouts over 4.1 innings of work.

Taylor Rashi was stellar out of the bullpen in his season debut, striking out four of the five batters he faced.

The Ems and Indians face off in the third game of a six-game series on Thursday evening at Avista Stadium with the first pitch scheduled for 6:35pm PST. LHP Seth Corry, the 2019 South Atlantic Pitcher of the Year and the fifth ranked prospect in the San Francisco Giants system per MLB.com, is slated to make his High-A debut as the starting pitcher for the Emeralds.

You can listen live to all the action on 95.3FM The Score, via MiLB.com or on the MiLB app.

Information regarding tickets to Emeralds home games is available at www.EmeraldsBaseball.com or by calling (541) 342-5367.

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