May 13, 2023 – Northwest League (NWL) – Eugene Emeralds News Release
The Emeralds beat the Tri-City Dust Devils by a final score of 10-2. They’ll now have a chance to split the series tomorrow afternoon in the series finale.
It was a great day for the Ems hitters today as they combined for 10 runs on 16 hits. They also combined for four HR’s. Logan Wyatt got the homerun party going in the 2nd inning with a solo shot out to right field. Wyatt has now homered in back-to-back games and it was his 6th of the season.
The Emeralds really opened up things in the 3rd inning when Wade Meckler got a 1 out single and Victor Bericoto followed it up by absolutely crushing a baseball to give the Emeralds a 3-0 lead. Logan Wyatt was able to reach base via walk with two outs and Adrian Sugastey had a hard hit baseball off the outfield wall that resulted in a double and scored Wyatt to extend the Ems lead to 4-0.
In the very next inning Grant McCray and Aeverson Arteaga each hit a single with 1 out to put runners on the Corner. After a popout from Wade Meckler, Victor Bericoto stepped into the box. He was already 2-2 on the day and he was able to connect with a baseball and rip it down the left field line for a 2-out RBI-Double that easily scored McCray and extended the Emeralds lead to 5-1 early in the ballgame.
Mat Olsen came in for relief of Carson Ragsdale who started the game and went 3 strong innings allowing 1 run and striking out 4. Olsen was dominant on the bump, pitching 2 innings and striking out 5 batters. He didn’t allow a single base runner across those two frames of pitching. Olsen was able to earn the win tonight which was his first of the season.
It was the 6th inning when things got really fun for Eugene. Damon Dues and Grant McCray led the inning off with a pair of walks. After a popout from Arteaga, Wade Meckler stepped into the box. He was able to drive a ball up the middle to score both Dues and McCray and gave the Ems the 7-1 lead in the 4th.
The scoring wouldn’t stop there, as Victor Bericoto stepped into the box. He was able to connect once again with a baseball and drive it out of the park. It was his 2nd home run of the ballgame, and it would give him 5 RBI’s on the night. Bericoto ended the ballgame going 4-5 with 5 RBI’s, two home runs as well as a single and a double. It was his best performance this year as an Emerald and he’s now batting well over .300 on the season.
It was a scoreless 7th and 8th frame for both teams. In the top of the 9th inning with 1 out and nobody on, Luis Toribio was able to barrel up a baseball and drive it out of Gesa Stadium. The ball traveled 461 feet and had an exit velocity of 112 MPH off the bat. It was an absolute no-doubt shot and it was Toribio’s team leading 7th homer of the season.
In the bottom of the 9th the Dust Devils were able to score a run with two outs, but pitcher Brett Standlee was able to strike out the final batter to close out the ballgame. Standlee was able to strike out 3 batters in the bottom of the 9th.
The Emeralds now move to 17-14 on the season and sit just a game and a half out of first place in the Northwest League Standings. Vancouver currently sits in first with a 17-11 record. The Ems will be back out tomorrow afternoon to take on the Dust Devils, as they’ll now have a chance to split the series after the win today. First pitch is set for 1:30 P.M and Eric Silva will be on the mound for Eugene.
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