Down 3-0 in the bottom of the sixth, Emeralds center fielder Ian Happ battled Hillsboro Hops starting pitcher Jared Miller to a full count. The runners on first and second both stole as Happ cracked a line drive down the right field line, but the shot landed in foul territory by no more than a ball length.
“It’s a game of inches,” manager Gary Van Tol said. “I don’t know how far foul Happ’s ball was but it was close enough to get a reaction from the crowd. Another foot in another direction I think we score two runs there and Happ’s at third.”
A matter of inches victimized the Emeralds in the dagger fifth inning, when Hops second baseman Fernery Ozuna scorched a ball down the left line that stayed just inside the foul line and drove in the game’s first run. The Hops tallied thee runs in the frame and went to shut out the Emeralds, 4-0 on Friday at PK Park.
Miller was untouchable through six innings, in which he allowed three hits and a walk and struck out 11.
“Sometimes you just gotta tip your cap,” Van Tol said. “He did an outstanding job and he’s been doing that ever since he came back down from Kane County.”
After he won the 2014 national championship with Vanderbilt, Miller began his career with Hillsboro in short season ball last year and impressed through eight games. He started his sophomore season with the Kane County Cougars, the Arizona Diamondbacks long season A-level club, but suffered a 6.91 ERA and 1.71 WHIP in seven appearances. He came back down to Hillsboro, where he’s earned a win in all six starts and maintained a 0.66 ERA and 0.80 WHIP.
“He was tough,” Van Tol said of the 6’7″, 240-lb 11th-round draft pick. “Our guys haven’t seen a guy like that from the left side.”
Kyle Twomey, a 13th-round pick out of USC, started the game for the Emeralds, allowed a hit and struck out two through two innings. Jose Paulino took over for Twomey, but got shelled for four runs—three earned—on nine hits and a walk, although he struck out seven in five innings.
The Emeralds (15-13) left six runners on base, went 0-6 with runners in scoring position and suffered their first shutout loss of the season. They drop to third place in the Northwest League South, a game behind Hillsboro (16-12) and the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes (16-12).
The month of July has been a rocky road for Eugene. The Ems endured a five-game winning streak followed by a four-game losing streak and have gone 8-7 overall.
The Emeralds look to win their three-game home stand with Hillsboro in the rubber match Friday at 7:05 p.m. Then they hit the road to take on Vancouver, against whom they’ve won their four contests.
Follow Kenny Jacoby on Twitter @KennyJacoby