Frustration was the name of the game for the Eugene Emeralds Thursday night at PK Park. The Ems hit the ball hard many times, racking up seven hits, but were robbed of a few more on exceptional defensive plays by the Hillsboro Hops, who won 5-0.
“It’s frustrating but it’s good for us cause were making solid contact,” said Ems catcher Ryan Miller on the Hops defense. “But you know, the baseball gods weren’t in our favor tonight. Nothing we can do about it.”
Hillsboro shortstop Ryan Gebhardt made a diving stop in the hole at short to turn an inning-ending double play. Center fielder Taylor Ratliff dove head first and cleanly caught a line drive to take away a base hit. Left fielder Yogey Perez-Ramos prevented another would-be single with a sliding catch in shallow left.
On the other side of the token, the Ems committed three errors that led to a pair of runs.
“It’s the past, you gotta worry about the next pitch and the next play,” Miller said. “With baseball you gotta have a short term memory, you gotta focus on the next play not the previous play.”
Two of the errors came in the top of the ninth and allowed Hillsboro to extend its lead to five.
But the Ems had chances with at least one hit in six of nine innings. They also grounded into three double plays and were hurt by the aforementioned stellar defense.
Hops starter Ross Gerdeman (2-6) threw all nine, striking out eight along the way without surrendering a free pass. It was Gerdeman’s first complete game of the season, and his first win since August 12.
Tyler Hale (2-2) made his first start for the Ems and lasted 3.1 innings, giving up three runs on as many hits with three walks. Hale had been Eugene’s best reliever but didn’t fare as well in a starting role.
Hops first baseman Daniel Palka hit his first home run of the season in the second inning, a line drive that barely cleared the low right field fence. Hillsboro added two runs in the fourth on a bases-loaded walk by Randy McCurry and a sacrifice fly by Gebhardt.
Eugene right fielder Donavan Tate was ejected in the ninth inning after being called out on strikes by home plate umpire Brandon Butler. After the strike three call, Tate pointed to the location of the pitch with his bat and was tossed instantly. Manager Jim Gabella was also run from the game by Butler following Tate’s ejection for what appeared to be defending his player and verifying the strike zone. Arguing balls and strikes are automatic ejections in baseball, and Butler acted accordingly. Gabella had been in discussion with Butler and field umpire Josh Root previously in the game.
“It was a little bit inconsistent,” said Miller of Butler’s strike zone. “It was his first game back from nine games, he hurt his back and then previously before that he had a concussion, so he’s trying to get in the groove of things, but it was little inconsistent.”
The two teams conclude the series Friday night in Eugene.