Eugene Emeralds pounded the Hops and grab another victory making it five games in a row for both teams.  The Eugene Emeralds scored two runs for every run the Hillsboro Hops scored.  Final score: Eugene 10, Hillsboro 5.

Eugene Emeralds Pounded in First

The big inning tonight came in the bottom of the first.  With all nine of the Ems’ batters coming to the plate, and all but one reaching first base, it seemed like a class on a field trip getting a tour of the base path.  It all started with a single.

Ismael Munguia, one of Thursday’s heroes, singled and scored on Armani Smith’s RBI single.  Will Wilson scored on a groundout.  Tyler Flores doubled Smith and Franklin Labour home.  And Flores came home on Jacob Gonzalez’ RBI single to make it 5-1, Ems.  Though they didn’t know it, the Ems needed just one more run for the win and they had eight more innings to get the score.

In the meantime, the best the Hops could do was whittle it down the best they could.  Hillsboro scored three more runs in the top of the second, drawing close at 5-4.  But, the Eugene Emeralds pounded three more runs, doubling the Hops at 8-4.  This time with a pair of homers.  Franklin Labour’s two-run smash in the third bringing Armani Smith home with him and Ismael Munguia’s solo shot in the fourth.

Eugene Emeralds Pounded From Mound

Then a period of peace came to PK Stadium.  For the fifth inning, nobody scored a run.  Not a batter fired a hit.  There were no runners to make a peep on the base paths.  Not even an umpire.  After the inning ended, the cease fire between the bats was over.  The hits and the scoring resumed.

For that one inning, however, it was a reminder of the power of the mound.  The Hops brought relief pitcher Justin Vernia who retired all five batters he faced, including two from the previous inning.

But, the inning of silence also brought attention to the job Ems starter Aaron Phillips (W, 2-3) had been doing,  Phillips silenced the Hops for more than just the fifth inning.  The Hops hadn’t reached base since the second inning.  Phillips retired the last ten batters he faced in a row,  After Phillips took a well deserved rest after the fifth, Jasier Herrera relieved and kept the Hops silent during the sixth.

The game saw one more run from the Hops in the seventh.  The Ems naturally doubled that with a run in both the sixth and seventh innings.  Final score, 10-5.  Hops starter Drey Jameson (L, 0-4) threw 76 pitches into the fourth before leaving the game and taking the loss.

Standings

With the win, the Eugene Emeralds (25-15) kept their half game lead over Everett.  The loss dropped the Hillsboro Hops (16-23) to 8 ½ games behind Eugene.  Hillsboro also dropped to fifth place and are now a game behind fourth place Spokane and 2 ½ games ahead of sixth place Tri City.

Both teams meet again for the sixth and final game tomorrow afternoon at PK Park at 5:05 PM.  You can watch it on MiLB.TV or listen to it on 620 AM.  Be sure to look for my game recap later that night.  In the meantime, look up and see how the Hops did during week six.  And look for my recap of week seven on Tuesday morning here.

Box Score

By

Greg Stoker

@GDStoker