Justin Marra hadn’t seen the plate all game. Trading time with the likes of Matt Rose and Tyler Alamo, Marra hadn’t started since Saturday, as a designated hitter.
Then, on Monday afternoon in the bottom of the ninth inning with a 4-4 tie and the bases loaded, Eugene Emeralds manager Gary Van Tol called on Marra to pinch hit in place of Ian Rice. Facing Tri-City Dust Devils reliever Luis Hernandez, Marra was ready.
“I’ve played for Gary before and he always has us prepared for that kind of situation,” Marra said. “Seventh, eighth and ninth inning, you always gotta be ready. That’s just part of the job – you’re on the bench, but you’re never out of it.”
On a 1-1 count, Marra eyed a changeup and connected, drilling the ball into the first base gap that sent lead-off hitter Donnie Dewees home for the game-winning run.
The Emeralds won Monday’s game against the Tri-City Dust Devils 5-4, clinching a series win.
“Nothing against Rice – he’s been doing a great job in the short time he’s been here – but it just came down to the matchup,” Van Tol said. “Right-handed pitcher on the mound, we have a veteran guy on the bench who swings from the left side who’s played with me for a long time.”
The Emeralds (6-6) hit their offensive stride early with two runs in the bottom of the first. On an infield single from Matt Rose, Ian Happ scored from second to take an early lead.
Two batters later, Adonis Paula drove in Rose from second. Two more runs in the bottom of the third followed, and the Emeralds looked well on their way to victory.
But the Dust Devils slowly chipped away at the deficits, scoring one run each inning from the sixth to the eighth. Then, with runners on second and third in the top of the ninth, Emeralds reliever Alexander Santana gave up an RBI single to Nick Vilter, tying the game at four apiece.
The Dust Devils threatened to comeback in late innings for the second consecutive game, but Santana put an end to the comeback, getting the next two batters out.
“We didn’t panic,” Van Tol said. “What’s been hurting us in the past is giving up big innings late. For us to keep things under control and keep the game tied heading into our last at-bats, that’s what we were trying to get to.”
Dewees’ lead-off double, followed by a Eloy Jimenez walk and a Happ intentional walk, loaded the bases for the Emeralds. After Rose struck out looking, Marra came in for the walk-off single.
The Emeralds and Dust Devils will conclude their five-game series tomorrow night. 
Shortly after the game, a fire engulfed Civic Stadium — the Emeralds’ home from 1969-2009. According to Steve Mims of the Register-Guard, the Ems will wear throwback uniforms dating back to when they played at the stadium at tomorrow night’s game.
Follow Will Denner on Twitter @Will_Denner