Meckler Celebrates Birthday by Leading Ems over Hops
EUGENE, ORE. (April 21, 2023) --- Wade Meckler continued his early season tear, celebrating his 23rd birthday by going 3-for-4 with two doubles to lead Eugene to a 5-3 win over Hillsboro on Friday night at P.K. Park. Meckler, the former Oregon State sparkplug drafted in the eighth round by
EUGENE, ORE. (April 21, 2023) --- Wade Meckler continued his early season tear, celebrating his 23rd birthday by going 3-for-4 with two doubles to lead Eugene to a 5-3 win over Hillsboro on Friday night at P.K. Park. Meckler, the former Oregon State sparkplug drafted in the eighth round by the Giants last year, is hitting an even .500 (20-for-40), with six doubles.
Hillsboro (6-6) lost for the fifth consecutive game. Eugene (7-4), the two-time-defending Northwest League champions, is alone in first place for the first time this season.
The Emeralds got on the board first on a third-inning solo home run by first baseman Victor Bericoto off Hops starter Dylan Ray. Hillsboro tied it 1-1 in the top of the fourth when another former Beaver, Gavin Logan, tripled into the right field corner to score Shane Muntz. Muntz was pinch-running for Ivan Melendez, who had to come out of the game after being hit in the face by a pitch from Eugene starter Carson Ragsdale.
Eugene broke the tie in the next half-inning when Meckler doubled, Logan Wyatt singled him home, and Adrian Sugastey singled to score Wyatt.
Two innings later, in the bottom of the sixth, Meckler doubled again, chasing Ray from the game. Diomede Sierra came out of the Hops bullpen, and with two out, Sugastey lined his second two-out RBI single of the game to make it 4-1.
Ray allowed three runs (all earned) on five hits over 5.1 innings, with no walks and seven strikeouts.
In the seventh Sierra walked the first man to face him, and immediately doubled over in pain, gripping the fingers of his pitching hand. He joined Melendez as the second Hop to be removed because of injury.
Carlos Meza came out of the bullpen, and with two out --- guess who? --- Meckler singled home another run to put Eugene on top 5-1.
Hops center fielder Wilderd Patino was hit by a pitch in the left hand leading off the top of the eighth, and for a moment it looked as if he might be the third Hop to leave the game because of injury. He stayed in, and promptly stole second base, his ninth steal of the year. S.P. Chen singled to bring Patino home, and one out later stole second himself. J.J. D’Orazio walked, and with two out Gary Mattis Jr. --- who just joined the Hops today from extended spring training --- singled past shortstop to score Chen and cut the deficit to 5-3. With D’Orazio at third, Mattis stole second to put the tying runs in scoring position. But after an extended battle, Ems reliever Matt Olsen struck out Josh Day to end the threat.
Tyler Myrick worked a 1-2-3 ninth inning for Eugene to earn his second save.
Hillsboro pitching walked just one batter, and have issued just five bases on balls over the past two games.
On Saturday, the Hops and Emeralds will square off in a doubleheader. The first pitch of game one will be at 4:35 at P.K. Park, with airtime at 4:20 on Rip City Radio 620AM and www.RipCityRadio.com.