EUGENE, Ore. — The baseball adage says that good pitching beats good hitting, and that proved true in the Northwest League Championship Series.
The Eugene Emeralds, the NWL’s best pitching team needed three games to knock off the best-hitting team, the Everett AquaSox, 2-1 to claim the NWL title in the decisive Game 3 of the best-of-three series before 3,582 fans at PK Park.
The AquaSox (3-2 postseason), who led the NWL in almost every offensive category, out-hit the Emeralds (4-2) by a 9-6 margin in the series clincher.
Everett was bidding for its first NWL title since 2010 and just the third in franchise history. The AquaSox had the league’s best record in the second half of the season, while the Ems had the best record in the first half. Each team won four of five at the other team’s venue during the regular season.
Eugene snapped a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the fifth. Yeiler Peguero singled in Robert Garcia with two outs to regain the lead and chase Everett starter Reggie McClain. Everett reliever Lane Ratliff came on to induce a flyout to end the inning.
The AquaSox had drawn even in the fifth when two singles and a hit by pitch loaded the bases for Kristian Brito. The AquaSox cleanup hitter lined a single to left field to score Dimas Ojeda to tie the game at 1-1, but Bryson Brigman was thrown out at the plate to end the inning.
The Emeralds took a 1-0 lead in the bottom half of the second inning against McClain. Wladimir Galindo led off with a single and went to second when Zack Short walked one out later. Kevonte Mitchell then singled in Galindo with two outs for the game’s first run.
The Frogs had a chance to get to Eugene starer Manuel Rondon in the third when they loaded the bases with one out. But league MVP Eric Filia bounced into an inning-ending double play, the first of three turned by Eugene.
McClain (0-1) took the loss as he allowed two runs on five hits and two walks in 4 2/3 innings of work. He struck out six in his lone postseason appearance. Ratliff, Jack Anderson and Brandon Miller combined for 3 1/3 scoreless innings of relief.
Rondon (1-0) scattered six hits and walked two while fanning three as he allowed one run in five innings.
Brigman, Brito and Ojeda each had two hits to lead the Frogs.
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