The Vancouver Canadians scored runs in bunches Tuesday night, with four two-run base hits with two outs in the top of the sixth inning leading to an eventual 10-3 win over the Eugene Emeralds in game two of the teams’ best-of-three Northwest League playoff series at PK Park.
The first of those hits was a broken-bat bloop single to right field from Canadians left fielder Matt Newman that fell just over the head of Emeralds second baseman Casey McElroy. Had that ball been caught, Eugene would have escaped the inning unscathed, but instead its bullpen went on to surrender eight runs in the inning, spoiling a fantastic first start from Mark Pope.
First-year Emeralds manager Pat Murphy was disappointed that his team could not carry over momentum from its 8-3 victory over the Canadians in Vancouver Monday afternoon, and now the teams face a decisive third game in their playoff series.
“It’s unfortunate,” Murphy said. “As well as we played last night, we were hoping that would carry over a little bit. These guys have a lot to be proud of, and they’ve got a chance to go to the finals tomorrow.”
Pope’s only blemishes were two solo home runs, one to Canadians shortstop Jon Berti to lead off the game, and one to Canadians designated hitter Balbino Fuenmayor in the second inning. He was otherwise perfect in five innings of work, save an error from Emeralds shortstop Jace Peterson in the fourth inning. In all, Pope threw 61 pitches in his start, only eight more than what it took Emeralds relievers James Jones, Luis De La Cruz and Kyle Brule to get through the sixth inning alone.
“Pope threw well enough to win tonight — two hits — and I thought he did some good things,” Murphy said.
The Emeralds had held the Canadians to a 2-1 lead until the sixth inning, as left fielder Justin Miller scored on a fielder’s choice from catcher Matt Colantonio in the first inning, but their offense was otherwise dormant early in the game. The only other opportunity the Emeralds had to score was in the fifth inning when center fielder Kyle Gaedele led off with a double and was followed by a Peterson walk before Miller popped up a bunt that was caught by Canadians reliever Tyler Ybarra, who eventually got Gaedele caught in a rundown. After McElroy walked, third baseman Travis Whitmore grounded out to end the inning.
Jones, De La Cruz and Brule each recorded one out in the sixth inning for the Emeralds, as Vancouver blew the game open. After Newman’s two-run single, Fuenmayor followed with a two-run double, both off De La Cruz. After Brule gave up a walk and a single to load the bases, Berti hit a two-run single to center field. Canadians center fielder Kevin Pillar ended the scoring with a two-run double down the third-base line past a diving Whitmore.
The Emeralds got a run back in the bottom of the inning to make it 10-2 with Colantonio scoring on a single to right field from first baseman Zach Kometani, and Kometani drove in the Emeralds’ final run with a fielder’s choice in the eighth inning to again score Colantonio.
The decisive game of the Emeralds’ and Canadians’ best-of-three playoff series starts Wednesday night at 7 p.m. at PK Park.
Vancouver Canadians’ eight-run sixth inning downs Eugene Emeralds
Kenny Ocker
September 5, 2011
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