The Eugene Emeralds haven’t held a division lead in the High-A West since early June. On Thursday night, they had a chance to change that.

Coming off back-to-back exciting wins against the Everett AquaSox, the Emeralds entered Thursday’s affair just a game back. With a win, they could have held a tie with the AquaSox for the division lead. 

Instead, the Emeralds looked flat. 

The offense hardly put any pressure on the AquaSox all night, and Emeralds starter Jake Dahlberg had a difficult outing — two things that won’t win you many baseball games. The Eugene bullpen was masterful as always, but their performance was too little, too late by the time they were called on. 

In the end, the AquaSox took the game, 6-4. 

For the third time in as many nights, the AquaSox bats came out hot in the first. A one-out double, a passed ball and a sacrifice fly immediately gave them a 1-0 advantage. Then with two outs, a single and another double just beyond the outstretched arm of Armani Smith in right field padded their lead to 2-0. 

The Emeralds had chances early to get on the board against Everett starter Adam Hill. In the second inning, they stranded Sean Roby at second after a lead-off double and in the third, they couldn’t cash in with runners in scoring position even after Everett gifted them a baserunner on an error. 

Thankfully in the fourth, the bats came through with the long ball. Jairo Pomares lined a missile over the left field fence to give him his first home run as an Emerald. On the next pitch, Ricardo Genovés sent his second moonshot in as many days over the center field fence.

With back-to-back home runs, the Emeralds cut the lead in half, 4-2.

Like the AquaSox are prone to doing against Eugene, they responded in the next half inning. A single and a catcher’s interference call gifted the AquaSox runners at first and second with no outs.

Jake Anchia stepped up next and smacked a single to left to plate a fifth Everett run. Dahlberg would only last an out longer. He went 4 1/3 innings while surrendering eight hits and five runs. Since his masterful first start as an Emerald, he’s been disappointing.

Nick Avila took over with runners still at first and second and only one out. He looked ready for the test early but a pair of passed balls by Robert Emery led to another Everett run, 6-2.

With three passed balls and a catcher’s interference call, Emery’s defense severely hurt the Emeralds on Thursday. This isn’t anything out of the norm however, as he has had his fair share of defensive struggles all year behind the dish. 

Marco Luciano led off the sixth with a single to left. Two batters later, Roby stepped up and sent a two-run blistering home run way beyond the left field fence. The lead was cut in half again with the Emeralds now trailing 6-4.

Avila did everything he could to keep the deficit at just two. He gave the Emeralds 2 2/3 innings of work out of the pen while striking out five and giving up no hits.

In return, the Emeralds offense didn’t give much. They weren’t able to string together any consecutive hits or spark any rally off of Hill. The only pressure they were able to put on was through the long ball, but even that doesn’t require a pitcher to dig deep.

Taylor Rashi worked a clean eighth inning despite giving up a two-out triple. 

That inning, the Emeralds had a perfect opportunity to cut down the lead with their 2-4 hitters up, but all three of them struck out.

Rashi pitched another scoreless frame in the ninth even after a lead-off double. Like they’ve been doing all year, the Emeralds bullpen gave the team a gutsy performance to keep the deficit small. They combined for 4 2/3 innings of work with 10 strikeouts and no runs.

Unfortunately for them, the bats could never wake up. The offense recorded just six hits, half of them via home run. 

Eugene would go down quietly in the ninth to give the AquaSox the 6-4 victory. The Emeralds still lead the series 2-1 but they now fall back down to two games behind first. 

With four games left in the series, Eugene (54-39) still has a chance to make up some significant ground over the AquaSox (55-36). The two teams will be back in action Friday night at 7:05 p.m. in Eugene.