Ems Win Shootout to Open Series in Everett
Published on July 22, 2026 under Northwest League (NWL)
Eugene Emeralds News Release
EVERETT, WA - The Emeralds were able to outlast the Everett AquaSox by a final score of 13-8. This game featured 21 runs, 29 hits and 14 extra-base hits. Eugene is now 13-12 to start the second half.
The Emeralds were able to get the scoring started in tonight's game. Isaiah Barkett led off the game with a single and advanced into scoring position on a groundout. A wild pitch sent him to third and Carlos Gutierrez ripped a single to give the Ems the early lead. Everett answered back with a run of their own in the home half of the frame, after Brandon Eike hit a two-out single up the middle to tie up the game 1-1.
The offense kept things rolling with another run in the top of the second. Walker Martin crushed his 13th home run of the season 400 feet while having an exit velocity of 101.5 mph. The 13 home runs for Martin is a new career-high. Everett got the run back in the bottom of the third. Brendan Donovan was on a MLB rehab assignment for the game, and he collected a sac-fly RBI to tie up the game at 2-2 after the first three innings.
After that the Emeralds offense exploded for seven unanswered runs across the following three innings. In the fourth, Jakob Christian hit a double and Zander Darby crushed his ninth home run of the season for the two-run blast. The inning didn't stop there as Lisbel Diaz doubled and Jose Astudillo brought him home with a single. It's his first RBI in Eugene in his fourth game played.
In the fifth, Gutierrez drew a walk and a few batters later it was Darby who came through with a single for his third RBI of the night. In the sixth, Astudillo led off the inning with a walk before Isaiah Barkett crushed his first home run of the season in Eugene. It left his bat at 102.8 mph and traveled 387 feet. The inning kept on going as Gutierrez doubled and eventually scored on a bases loaded walk from Martin to put the Ems out in front 9-2.
Everett responded with a run in the sixth inning before really giving the Ems a scare in the bottom of the eighth. They plated four runs in the inning and had the game-tying run at second before Liam Simon found a strikeout against Ricardo Cova to maintain the lead.
In the top of the ninth, the Ems officially put the game on ice. The bases were loaded for Gutierrez who drew a walk to score the first run. After that, Christian smoked his first triple of the year with the bases loaded as it cleared the base path to put the Emeralds up 13-7.
Everett brought home a run in the bottom of the ninth but it wasn't enough as they fell by a final score of 13-8. It was great to see the Emeralds offense click in such a big way tonight, as eight of the nine hitters recorded a hit. Six different players recorded multiple hits, led by Isaiah Barkett with his first three hit game in Eugene.
The Ems bats will look to carry this momentum over into tomorrow night's matchup. Luis De La Torre will get the start with a first pitch currently slated for 7:05 PM.
The Eugene Emeralds are the High-A affiliate of Major League Baseball's San Francisco Giants. The Eugene Emeralds are dedicated to providing the best in family entertainment and creating a fun, safe environment for everyone to enjoy watching a baseball game. For more information, please visit our website at www.EmeraldsBaseball.com or call the Emeralds front office at 541-342-5367.
Northwest League Stories from July 22, 2026
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