The Emerald’s began their five-game home series against the Tri-City Dust Devils with a 7-1 win, winning their third straight game at home.
Pitcher Oscar De La Cruz started the game with a strikeout and his tenacity created a six-inning shutout.
The game started off slow, with only a few hits that landed guys on bases. Designated hitter Matt Rose had his first professional hit on a single that only made it a few feet from home base.
“It was still exciting,” Rose said. “I never get those bunt hits because I’m not the fastest guy.”
The Emeralds put some numbers on the board when Rose and center fielder Ian Happ, the Chicago Cubs’ 2015 first round draft pick, scored in the bottom of the 4th on a two-run single by catcher Tyler Alamo. This finally put some energy into the crowd that filled only half of the seats at PK Park.
De La Cruz wasted no time on the mound, shutting out the top of the 5th with no runs.
Eloy Jimenez knocked a double into center field in the bottom of the 5th that was immediately followed by a double from Kevonte Mitchell who put one more point of the board with an RBI.
Happ kept the energy of the 5th up with a single that put a player on third. Rose quickly capitalized on the opportunity and hit a double that brought one more player into home.
Tri-City took pitcher Travis Radke out and reliever Griffin Russell took the mound and quickly ended an exciting 5th inning for the Emeralds that took the score to 5-0.
Adonis Paula and Vimael Machin scored on a run by Jimenez, taking the score to 7-0 and closing out the 6th.
The Ems took De La Cruz out in the 6th and put Dillon Maples in. De La Rosa only allowed 4 hits with no runs through six innings.
“I was ready to keep pitching,” De La Cruz said. “I was ready for the ninth.”
“You know he probably could have gone in for another inning,” Manager Gary Van Tol said, “but he did such a great job and our bullpen has done a really great job the last few nights so it was an opportunity to turn it over.”
Van Tol continued, “…any time we can get at least five or six innings from our starter early in the season and get a quality start out of them then it’s the bullpen’s turn to do their job.”
Tri-City catcher A.J. Kennedy scored in the 7th on a wild pitch by Maples, taking the score to 7-1.
Pitcher Pedro Araujo relieved Maples in the top of the 9th, where the Ems closed out the 7-1 victory over the Tri-City Devils.
“Crazy game,” Van Tol reflected afterwards. “The guys did a great job and that’s gonna happen every night where teams that can get those two RBIs usually can put themselves in a position to win a ball game.”
The Emeralds play Tri-City again tomorrow, 7:05 at PK Park, and will end that home series on the 30th.
Follow Bayley Sandy on Twitter at @BayleyJSandy