With rainbow-colored bases, players wearing rainbow-themed jerseys, and rainbow flags handed out to fans, the Eugene Emeralds celebrated Pride Night on Friday.
Spirits were also high at the ballpark because before the game, the Emeralds announced that they will be returning to full capacity in July, with no more masks or COVID-19 restrictions. It was a night of pride and celebration at PK Park, despite the 90-degree temperature.
However, the Emeralds weren’t able to come up with a win to back all that up. They lost their second in a row, 9-1, after winning eight straight. Aaron Phillips turned in a decent start, but missed opportunities haunted the offense and reliever Jasier Herrera struggled.
Just like that, the Emeralds find themselves leading the High-A West by just a half-game in a close race with the Everett AquaSox. The series is tied 2-2, after the Emeralds initially went up 2-0.
After the first four Emeralds struck out, Logan Wyatt drew a walk to extend his on-base streak to 20. He was caught trying to steal second, but the next two batters also drew walks, which has been a recurring problem this year for Vancouver starter Luis Quinones. Tyler Flores hit one to the back of the warning track in right field, but it was caught up against the wall.
The Canadians struck first, with a two-out RBI single against Phillips in the third inning to take a 1-0 lead.
Catcher Brandon Martorano got plunked in the helmet to lead off the bottom of the third. He collapsed to the ground in pain, and while he got up fairly quickly, he had to be taken out of the game. Robert Emery pinch ran for him and replaced him behind the plate.
In the fourth, Phillips allowed a walk and a two-run homer that extended the Canadians’ lead to 3-0 while the Emeralds still didn’t have a hit.
The Emeralds’ top three hitters all struck out in the third, exactly as they did in the first.
With runners on the corners in the fourth, Franklin Labour hit one to dead center that just stayed in the ballpark. He settled for a sacrifice fly that got the Emeralds on the board and made it 3-1.
Manager Dennis Pelfrey boldly kept Phillips in for the seventh inning. He walked the first batter, and was pulled after a one-out double made it 4-1. Herrera came in and allowed a walk and a single that brought in a fifth run, which was charged to Phillips.
A single and a walk got the Emeralds in business in the seventh. But with the two runners in scoring position, Sean Roby struck out to end the inning, his fourth strikeout in as many at-bats. On the bright side for Roby, he showed off a strong arm at third base on multiple occasions throughout the night.
Herrera appeared to be navigating through a clean eighth inning, retiring the first two. But after a walk and a single, he gave up a three-run homer to center field that broke it open, 8-1.
With an eighth-inning walk, Wyatt got on base three out of four times to shoot his OBP over .400, one of the only bright spots for the Emeralds on a rough night.
Herrera took one for the team, staying out for the ninth even after his rough seventh and eighth. With two outs, he gave up an RBI double to the wall that brought in another run.
Emery recorded his second single of the night in the ninth, but the Emeralds couldn’t get anything more going as they lost 9-1.
With the loss, the Emeralds lose their second in a row, with the series now even at 2-2. And with the AquaSox winning, the Emeralds’ lead in the High-A West falls to just a half-game.
They’ll look to bounce back and retake the series lead on Saturday at 7:05 p.m.
