The Eugene Emeralds kick off their three-game series with the Boise Hawks tonight at 7 p.m. at PK Park. The Ems are returning home after playing eight straight contests on the road, winning two and losing six.

Tayron Guererro (1-1) will be making his second start of the season for Eugene. He got roughed up in his last start, giving up six runs (four earned) over 2.1 innings. He’s pitched well in relief and has an overall ERA of 2.77 in four games with the Emeralds.

His counter-part will be Dillon Maples (0-0), who has pitched just three innings for the Hawks this year. He’s experienced some trouble with his command so far, giving up five walks in limited action. Maples was ranked as the Cubs sixth best prospect entering the 2013 season and was named the Gatorade North Carolina High School Player of the year in 2011, according to milb.com.

Tonight’s game will begin the third series of the season between the two clubs, and to this point the Hawks have handled the Ems, taking five of the first six games. Eugene was on the cusp of three victories last time the two teams played, losing by final scores of 5-4, 8-6, and 6-5 in Boise.

Although the Emeralds finished the first half of the season in third place in the South Division of the Northwest League, Tuesday marks the start of the second half, making the first half of the season essentially meaningless except for the team that finished first. The Salem-Keizer Volcanoes won the division in the first half of the season (23-15) and clinched a playoff berth. Another spot is up for grabs, and it’s anybody’s ballgame.