The Eugene Emeralds (12-6) ran into some obstacles this week, but kept their winning season on track.
They won four out of six over the Tri-City Dust Devils at Gesa Stadium in their third series of the year. After winning the opener, the Emeralds lost the next two — the second one in stunning, heartbreaking fashion — but they bounced back to win the next three thanks to some dominant pitching performances. The team now sits in a three-way tie for first place in the High-A West.
Will Wilson fell into his first slump of the season
Wilson, the Giants’ first-round pick in 2019 and their No. 12 overall prospect, mashed in the Emeralds’ first two series but struggled for the first time this week. While he did draw four walks, he went just 1-for-19 with seven strikeouts.
The only offensive standout for the Emeralds was Diego Rincones, who put up a .294/.455/.471 line in five games. Rincones leads the team with a 1.042 OPS, while Wilson sits right behind him with a .986 mark.
The Eugene offense, which looked so potent at the beginning of the season, has come back down to Earth. The team put up a collective batting line of just .183/.319/.264 this series, making it a miracle that they even won as many games as they did.
The pitching staff was dominant
In the midst of the offensive slump, it was the pitching performances that led the Emeralds to their series victory. They put up a collective 2.47 ERA, with an absurd 91 strikeouts in 54 2/3 innings.
The pitching staff this season has struck out 232 batters in 158 2/3 innings, good for an otherworldly 13.16 K/9. They’ve also held opposing hitters to a meager .194 batting average.
The standout has been Caleb Kilian, who brought a perfect game into the seventh inning on Saturday and has a 1.25 ERA in four starts this year, along with 32 strikeouts in 21 2/3 innings and just nine hits allowed.
As much as the Emeralds love him, he could be in line for a quick promotion to Double-A Richmond.
They’re tied for first in the High-A West
All told, the Emeralds sit in a three-way tie atop the High-A West, with their 12-6 record matching them with the Everett AquaSox and Vancouver Canadians. The Emeralds boast the second-highest run differential of the three teams.
It’s looking like it’ll be a three-man race, and it will be interesting to see if the Emeralds can sustain their pitching dominance while getting the offense back on track.
The Emeralds will return to PK Park on Tuesday for a six-game series against the Spokane Indians, who they won five out of six against in their first series of the season.
