BOISE, Id. – The Eugene Emeralds bats came alive tonight against the Boise Hawks, including 20 hits which helped the San Diego Padres farm team to a 17-6 victory.
Boise’s bats were on point at the plate to the tune of 11 hits but they were unable to keep up with first-year skipper Pat Murphy’s Emeralds team.
Leading the way for Eugene (33-21) was Travis Whitmore. He finished the game 3-for-5 at the plate with a triple and five RBI’s.
Justin Miller continued his strong showing at the plate for the Emeralds since joining the team 16 games ago batting 4-for-5 and scored three runs – increasing his batting average to .371.
The Emeralds started the game hot and scored multiple runs in all of the first four innings, and it took until the fourth inning for the Hawks to plate their first runs.
In the first inning they scored the first run of the game on a RBI-double by Miller – scoring Jace Peterson, who reached on a leadoff walk. Miller scored a run himself during the next at-bat off of a ground ball to right field by Whitmore.
Later in the inning Eugene scored two more runs on a single by Zach Kometani putting ahead by 4 runs after one inning.
The second inning was much of the same and the Emeralds scored three more runs. The first run of the inning scored on a triple by Whitmore, which scored Miller from second base. Whitmore scored during the next at-bat when Donavan Tate hit a line drive out to left field, and Matt Colantonio scored the final run of the inning off a wild pitch by Austin Reed.
After a short four at-bat inning for Boise (24-30), Eugene was back at it and scored two more runs in the third inning putting them ahead 9-0 after three innings.
Both of the runs where scored on a fly ball to deep left field by Whitmore.
Eugene scored another three runs in the top of the fourth inning, the first of which was scored on a double by Lee Orr – scoring Zach Kometani. The next at-bat Kyle Gaedele hit a two-run homerun over the left-field fence putting the Emeralds up 12-0 after three and a half innings.
In the bottom of the fourth inning Boise scored their first two runs of the game.
Reggie Golden drove in the first run of the inning with a fly ball to left field and scored a run of his own during the next at-bat off a double by Paul Hoilman.
The fifth inning was scoreless by both squads.
The Emeralds bats were right back at it in the top of the sixth inning and scored another three runs.
Su-Min Jung walked in the first run of the inning after he walked Whitmore, scoring Daniel Killian from third base.
Tate drove in the final two runs of the inning a single to left field – putting Eugene up 15-2 entering the bottom of the sixth. He finished the game 4-for-5 at the plate with three RBI’s.
Boise’s Hoilman hit a homerun out to left field for the Hawks only score in the sixth inning.
Both teams offense stayed alive in the seventh but would not score any more runs afterwards.
In the top of the seventh Lee Orr hit a two-run homerun over the fence in right field scoring the final two runs for the Emeralds.
Boise responded with a three run bottom of the seventh, but it was not enough to overcome the early onslaught by Eugene.
Oliver Zapata drove in the first run of the inning on a single to left field bringing home Rafeal Lopez from second base.
The next at-bat Hoilman scored on a fielding error by Clint Moore, and the final run of the game was scored on a walk by Kyle Brule – scoring Zapata from third.
The Hawks and Emeralds will continue this series tomorrow night in Boise, Id. The first pitch is scheduled for 6:15 p.m.
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