Moss, Boise edge Eugene in 20-inning marathon

It took more than six hours, 44 strikeouts, a bathroom break and 20 innings for Boise and Eugene to finish a July 4th battle that set a record in the Northwest League on Tuesday night.
J.B. Moss hit an inside-the-park two-run homer in the top of the 20th inning to highlight Boise's four-run rally as the Hawks finally took down the Eugene Emeralds, 7-5, in a game that ended in the early-morning hours of Wednesday at PK Park.

Fans expecting a quick game and some Independence Day fireworks were instead treated to 44 total strikeouts, a new Northwest League record. The game took, officially, 5 hours and 59 minutes, although it also included an additional eight-minute delay when an umpire left to use the restroom. The teams used 15 pitchers and Eugene's lineup tied a league record by striking out 24 times in the contest.

Moss, a seventh-round pick out of Texas A&M last year, entered the game as a defensive substitution in the 18th inning for Steven Linkous, who had one hit in seven plate appearances. His inside-the-parker was a highlight in a season that saw him get released by the Braves on May 29. The Rockies signed the outfielder on June 6 and, a month later, he had his big moment.
It just took a while to reach it. The Emeralds tweeted updates as the night went on, noting that the game was paused in the 15th inning because an umpire needed to use a rest room. An inning later, Eugene catcher Tyler Payne came off the bench to pitch, and he ended up turning in one of the best lines of the night, holding Boise to one hit without a walk over four innings of relief. It was his first career pitching appearance in 88 games since being drafted in 2015.
Others did not fare as well. Boise right fielder Daniel Jipping had the worst night of his career, going 0-for-9 with six strikeouts. Left fielder Aubrey McCarty finished 0-for-7 with a walk.
Outfielder Kwang-Min Kwon had the roughest night for Eugene, going hitless in eight plate appearances. Ems first baseman Gustavo Polanco finished 2-for-9 with five strikeouts, the most in his lineup.
In feats of endurance, both starting catchers -- Sam Tidaback and Miguel Amaya -- caught all 20 innings.
Boise starting pitcher Zach Jemiola allowed a run on five hits and two walks over four innings, but that was a distant memory by the time fireworks lit up the sky after 1 a.m.
"Wow," Jemiola said on Twitter. "20 innings. That was a first."
Long story short, the Class A Short Season game was tied up in the seventh when Boise's Sean Bouchard hit an RBI single to plate Tyler Nevin and knot the game at 2-2. It stayed that way until the 11th, when Matt McLaughlin singled home Linkous for a one-run lead. Eugene, down to its last out, responded in the bottom of the frame when Jose Gonzalez ripped a game-tying RBI double to left to score Edgar Rondon.
Gameday box score: Boise 7, Eugene 5 (20 innings)
Neither team could scratch across a run until July 4th became July 5th in Eugene. The Ems, a Cubs affiliate, threatened in the bottom of the 14th when Rondon walked and stole second and third but was thrown out at home on a fielder's choice grounder.
Boise, a Rockies affiliate, finally broke through in the 20th when Danny Edgeworth hit a leadoff double off Junior Marte and scored on a throwing error from third baseman Austin Filiere. Tidaback added a sacrifice fly for another run before Moss legged out a homer on a line drive that went under a diving Gonzalez in center and rolled all the way to the left-center wall. McCarty came home on the play.
Eugene very nearly sent the game to the 21st inning with a rally of its own in the bottom of the frame. Filiere hit an RBI double and Jhonny Bethencourt singled home Amaya with two outs, but Rondon -- representing the tying run -- ended the game when he grounded into a force out at second.
Both teams were, understandably, exhausted. It led to talks of a potential sleepover.
Tweet from @EugeneEmeralds: Yes. We are in the 19th inning.
Tweet from @BoiseHawks: Hey
Tweet from @EugeneEmeralds: Hey ��
Tweet from @BoiseHawks: Are we having a sleepover?
Tweet from @EugeneEmeralds: Ya, i'll bring the $6 popcorn
Tweet from @BoiseHawks: pic.twitter.com/eEZ58oPmxf
Remaining fans -- and there were plenty left after 20 frames -- were finally treated to a post-game fireworks show, much to the surprise of local dogs and people who were probably asleep at 1 a.m.
Tweet from @CierraSuee: 20 innings. 6 hour game. Fireworks at 1am. Thanks for the fun, @EugeneEmeralds! An intense and enjoyable way to spend the 4th/5th :)