The sight is a pretty one for the Eugene Emeralds.
They can look down in the Southern Division standings of the Northwest League and see the rest of the teams looking up at them.
The Ems keep battling through the day-to-day grind of the minor-league season and still find themselves in first place. In fact, today marks the 24th consecutive day that Eugene has been atop the division.
Even after Monday night’s 14-1 loss to the Vancouver Canadians up in Vancouver, B.C., the Ems still find themselves 1 1/2 games ahead of the second-place Canadians.
Tonight marks the last of six straight games between the two teams, who played against each other at Civic Stadium last week from Thursday through Saturday. Eugene then heads home for a three-game tilt against the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes from August 9-11.
The Ems actually opened its homestand last week against the then-second place Portland Rockies, who got swept right out of Eugene, and out of second-place.
Many of the Ems credit their play to the fact that they are involved in a pennant race, where every game gains importance as the season winds down.
“I think that the kids are competitive on both teams and it only makes them that much more so when there’s a pennant race going on,” said Eugene hitting instructor Tom Beyers of his team and Vancouver. “You come out here every day and it’s nice to be in it. When you gotta play 76 games in a year and you’re in last place, it’s no fun.
“But this, this is fun.”
Indeed, the fans that continue to pour into Civic Stadium night after night are seeing the type of baseball that makes them feel like they are getting their money’s worth.
“Oh man, this crowd has been awesome all year,” centerfielder Mike Mallory said. “They help us out more than they know.”
Beyers has been around the minor-league game a long time and has been amazed at the type of support he’s seen in his first year in town.
“You have to enjoy playing in front of these crowds,” Beyers said. “They draw well every night and that has to motivate you right there. This league definitely outdraws many of the higher ranked minor league teams. Crowd-wise, you can’t beat it.”
With only 29 more games remaining in the regular season, the crowds will continue to play a vital role down the home stretch as the Ems try to erase memories of its last-place finishes in the past two years and grab a Northwest League title.
The Ems close out the season with three home games against the Portland Rockies on Sept. 4-6, with the Northwest League Championship Series taking place the following week between the Northern and Southern division winners.
“We’re getting a good team concept together and are developing a great team,” second baseman Blake Blasi said. “Hopefully we can keep it up and win this league.”