After an up and down road trip, the Eugene Emeralds lost a close game at PK Park, 2-1 to the Hillsboro Hops. The Ems managed only a pair of hits in the ballgame, which manager Jim Gabella attributed to the loss.
“Our kids kept fighting, just couldn’t get the big hit. It’s hard to win when you get two hits,” Gabella said. “We had chances, though. That’s one thing about this team, we’ve always kept fighting, never giving up.”
The first chance for the Ems to break through was in the third when Michael Bass drew a two-out walk and was followed by a Wynton Bernard single, putting runners at the corners. Malquiel Brito grounded out to end the inning, and Eugene would have to wait until the seventh inning to get their next baserunner.
In the seventh, Donavan Tate led off with a single but was ousted at second two batters later on a routine double play.
The eighth and ninth innings provided excitement, as the scoreless stalemate was finally broken. The Hops struck first in the top half of the inning against relief pitcher Josh Richardson (1-2). After retiring the first two hitters in order, Richardson gave up a base hit to Yogey Perez-Ramos, who then stole second with George Roberts at the plate. The stolen base ended up being moot, as Roberts skied his fifth home run of the year over the right field fence, putting Hillsboro up 2-0.
In the home half, the first two Ems hitters reached base safely via a walk to Fernando Perez and a Marcus Davis hit by pitch. Anthony Torres laid down what looked like a successful sac bunt, but turned out to be more. Hops catcher Yosbel Gutierrez couldn’t come up with the ball cleanly, resulting in Torres reaching first safely. With one out, Bernard reached safely on yet another Hillsboro error, allowing everybody to move up on the base paths, scoring Perez.
Michael Miller and pinch hitter Chase Jensen both drew ninth inning walks to put the Ems in position to tie the game, but closer Jose Jose shut the door and handed Eugene the loss.
Ems starter Erik Schoenrock threw only three innings before being pulled without surrendering as much as two hits.
“He can only go three innings,” said Gabella of his starter’s short outing. “The organization is limiting some of the guys that came in from college that had a bunch of innings … we’re trying to keep their innings down.” Schoenrock has been one of the more consistent pitchers for Eugene this season, never allowing more than four runs in any start.
Hops starter Austin Platt (3-3) tossed seven shutout innings, yielding the only two Ems hits of the night to go along with three walks and three strikeouts.
Ems leadoff hitter and fan favorite Ronnie Richardson was recently promoted to the Class A Advanced Lake Elsinore Storm of the California League. Richardson hit .298 for Eugene and was on the Northwest League All-Star team.