EUGENE, Ore. – The Eugene Emeralds pitching staff looked as sharp as the whole team did dressed in their 1980 throwback uniforms from when they were a minor league club for the Cincinnati Reds in the 8-1 victory.
Emeralds starting pitcher Juan Herrera started the game with five hitless innings and retired 15 of the first 16 batters he faced. He was pulled after reaching his five-inning limit and finished his performance with two strikeouts and two strikeouts on just 49 pitches.
First year skipper Pat Murphy mentioned that it was one of the first times in his career that he pulled a pitcher who had a no-hitter going that early in the game, but he has set limits for the pitchers on the staff and doesn’t want to over work anyone.
“It’s all about building their stamina throughout and with these young kids you don’t want to step on it not matter the result — you just want to make sure that you prepare them building that stamina and being solid, ” Murphy said.
The dominating pitching didn’t stop there; for the whole game the Emeralds only allowed one run on two hits.
The offense for the Emeralds jumped out in the lead early in the game for the first time of the early season by scoring three runs in the first three innings.
“It felt a little different [to be up in the game early] for it being game three and not having to come from behind,” Murphy said.
Zach Kometani drove the first run of the game in — off of his first hit of his pro-career which was a double that drove in right fielder Kyle Gaedele in the bottom of the first.
The Emeralds (2-1) would score two more runs in the third inning off of a triple down the third-base line for Gaedele — scoring both of the San Diego Padres, the parent club of the Emeralds, 2011 first round picks.
“We haven’t come up with the big hit really at all this year, just looking for something over the plate, something I can put in play and drive, and I got lucky that it stayed inside the bag,” Gaedele said.
Gaedele, a sixth round pick in this year’s draft from Valparaiso, finished the game batting 1-for-3 with a triple and three RBIs.
Shortstop Jace Peterson and second baseman Cory Spangenberg both reached base off of walks by the Hawks starting pitcher, Jin-Yeong Kim.
The Hawks (1-2) would score their only run of the game in the top of the sixth inning off a RBI single by center fielder Pin-Chieh Chen.
After a scoreless sixth and seventh the Emerald offense came alive in the eighth inning scoring five runs off of four hits.
The scoring in the inning was sparked by a two-RBI triple by designated hitter Travis Whitmore — that drove in Lee Orr and Clint Moore, who was in as a pinch runner.
Even with the strong offensive outburst for the Eugene-based ball club Murphy was not completely satisfied with the performance and said that he believes that his players feel the same way.
“We’re still sputtering a little bit offensively, and we’re not really clicking,” Murphy said. “There’s not a lot of guys satisfied with the way they’re swinging the bat, which is okay.”
The Emeralds return to action June 20 at PK Park when they host Boise in game four of the five game series. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
Alan K. Fox can be reached at alanfoxjr@gmail.com or on Twitter @alankfox
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