The Eugene Emeralds capped Friday’s doubleheader with a 9-2 loss to the Everett AquaSox, ending their six-game winning streak.
The loss felt much less consequential than many of the Emeralds’ other defeats, as they still won four out of five in a key homestand against the rival Frogs. With a shorter series, they’ll have the weekend to travel and cool off before diving into the final series of the season.
Things got off to a much worse start than in game one, with Jake Dahlberg on the mound. He walked the first batter, then surrendered a two-run homer. Two batters in, the Emeralds already trailed 2-0.
Back-to-back doubles made it 3-0 before the Emeralds had recorded an out. He settled down, recording a pair of strikeouts to keep any more runs off the board.
Things got ugly again in the third inning. After a single and a hit batsman against Dahlberg, the AquaSox successfully executed a double steal. Catcher Brett Auerbach tried to throw the runner out at third, but the ball went off third baseman Carter Aldrete’s mitt into left field. A single brought in another run and made it 5-0.
The Emeralds got on the board in the bottom of the third, as the versatile Brett Auerbach smashed a solo homer to left field. They proceeded to load the bases with one out, but Marco Luciano and Franklin Labour were retired with the potential tying run at the plate.
Kwan Adkins was hit by a pitch in the fourth, then stole second and third base. Auerbach drove him in with a groundout, trimming the deficit to 5-2.
Adkins, playing center, dove for a ball in the top of the sixth. He lunged at it to try to catch it, but accidentally knocked the ball over the wall for a home run. It would have been a double if he hadn’t touched it. Likely embarrassed at the tough mistake, he threw his mitt to the ground in frustration.
Taylor Rashi gave up a run in the seventh on a liner that bounced off his glove and tricked off the glove of Luciano. He surrendered two more runs on a pair of walks and a single.
The night came to a lackluster and anticlimactic end, but it was still a strong final homestand for the Emeralds as they maintained their division lead.
Eugene started the day 3.5 games ahead of Everett, and ended the day three games ahead of Everett. Spokane remains 1.5 games behind Eugene in second place.
The Emeralds are done playing games at PK Park this year. They’ll play one last regular season series, taking on the Tri-City Dust Devils on the road starting Tuesday at 7:05 p.m.
