NWL1 Eugene Emeralds

Errors Cost Ems to Snap Streak

Published on June 23, 2019 under Northwest League (NWL1)
Eugene Emeralds News Release


The Eugene Emeralds' (5-4) four-game win streak was snapped Saturday night after suffering a 7-4 loss to the Tri-City Dust Devils (4-5) in an error-filled game at PK Park.

Playing in front of another near-capacity crowd during PRIDE Night at PK Park, the evening initially seemed to be a premier pitching duel with 2017 6th round pick Jeremiah Estrada facing off against 2019 7th rounder Connor Lehmann on the mound. Estrada started the game with a pair of strikeouts in the top half of the first before Lehmann followed with a nine-pitch, 1-2-3- inning.

After Estrada started the second inning with his third strikeout of the game, the young right-hander began to show signs of losing command. Sean Guilbe followed with a double in the next at-bat before advancing to third on an Estrada wild pitch, and Dust Devils DH Mason House brought him home with an RBI groundout to put the visitors ahead, 1-0.

Meanwhile, Lehmann was lifted after just one inning of play, the second straight day that the Dust Devils' starting pitcher lasted only an inning (FRI: Ethan Elliott), albeit with both pitchers each making their respective professional debuts.

In the third, the Dust Devils ultimately doomed the Emeralds. Tri-City played five runs in the frame, starting with a bases loaded wild pitch by Estrada that allowed Tre Carter to score from third while the remaining baserunners advanced ninety feet. Later in the same at-bat, Carlos Luis delivered an RBI single to center field that was compounded by Emeralds outfielder Fernando Kelli's throwing error that allowed another TC run to score, making it a 4-0 ballgame.

An Emeralds pitching change resulted in Jesus Tejada entering the game, but he was promptly greeted by a two-run blast from Sean Guilbe that stretched the Dust Devil's lead to 6-0.

One inning later, the Emeralds showed signs of a potential comeback brewing. Fernando Kelli attempted to make amends for his earlier error by leading off the bottom of the fourth with a triple to right field, and he was quickly brought home in the very next at-bat thanks to an RBI single by Edmond Americaan.

Later in the inning, with Americaan on third and Jake Slaughter at the plate, the Ems benefitted from some good fortune when a would-be strike three on Slaughter got away from Dust Devils catcher Jonny Homza allowing Slaughter to scamper to third while Americaan raced home to score and make it a 6-2 ballgame.

Eugene tacked on another run before the inning was over thanks to a Jonathan Soto RBI single that scored Slaughter to put the Ems within three after four wild innings of play.

However, that would be as close as the Ems would get to catching the Dust Devils on the scoreboard. Tri-City extended their lead back up to four just one inning later when a Tre Carter sacrifice fly brought home Luke Becker, who had led off the inning reaching base after being hit by a Yunior Perez pitch.

The Ems added a late run in the bottom of the ninth when Luis Vazquez doubled down the right field line to score Danny Zardon, but Vazquez was easily caught at third base trying to stretch the hit into a triple for the final out of the ballgame.

The Emeralds and Dust Devils face off again on Sunday evening at 5:05pm at PK Park on what is Bike to the Ballpark night, highlighted by a special appearance by local nonprofit Our Children's Trust and numerous plaintiffs in the nationally-covered case Juliana v. United States.

You can find the full promotional schedule for the 2019 Eugene Emeralds season by visiting www.EmeraldsBaseball.com.

Tickets to Emeralds home games are on sale now at www.EmeraldsBaseball.com or by calling (541) 342-5367.

Check out the Eugene Emeralds Statistics

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Northwest League Stories from June 23, 2019


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