EVERETT, Wash. – The Eugene Emeralds started a three-game series against the Everett Aquasox tonight and left victors 5-4 — extending the team’s winning-streak to four games.
Eugene’s (7-2) shortstop Cory Spangenberg, the team’s top pick in this year’s draft (10th overall), led the way for the Emeralds batting 2-for-4 with a RBI at the plate and increasing his Northwest League-leading on base percentage to .595 and ranks sixth in batting average (.407).
The Emeralds’ starting pitcher, Colin Rea, threw five scoreless innings and finished with six strikeouts in his winning effort (1-0).
After a scoreless first inning the Emeralds, the single-A team for the San Diego Padres, responded with a three-run second inning.
The scoring was started off when left fielder Mykal Stokes hit a sacrifice bunt, but he was able to reach base due to a throwing error by the Aquasox starting pitcher Jordan Shipers and Lee Orr was able to score on another error by Shipers.
Eugene would go on to score more runs later in the inning.
In the fourth inning the Emeralds scored again making the score 4-0 off of a leadoff homerun by first baseman Daniel Garce — his first of the season.
Daniel Garce hit his first homerun of the season in the fourth inning. // Photo: Alan K. Fox
The Aquasox (3-6), a farm team for the Seattle Mariners, bounced back with a three-run sixth inning to close with-in one run of the Northwest League-leading Emeralds — off of a three-run homerun over the centerfield fence by catcher Michael Dowd.
Spangenberg put the last run on the scoreboard for the Emeralds with his RBI-single in the seventh inning.
Kevin Quackenbush, the Emeralds closer, entered the game with one out in the ninth inning and closed the game out — his fourth safe in five tries — after allowing two hits and having a run score for Everett.
His four saves lead the Northwest League and he has not allowed a run this season.
The Emeralds and Aquasox will play game two of the three-game series June 26 in Everett, Wash. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m.
Alan K. Fox can be reached at alanfoxjr@gmail.com and on Twitter @alankfox
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