EVERETT — Two ninth-inning home runs powered Eugene to a 5-4 comeback victory over the Everett AquaSox on Tuesday night at Funko Field.
With the AquaSox holding a 3-2 lead thanks to Charlie Pagliarini’s three-run homer in the seventh — his 20th long ball of the season — Eugene took the lead back in the top of the ninth. Jose Geraldo (0-2) gave up three runs in the inning for his second blown save of the season in eight opportunities. The 25-year-old right-hander hit a batter and allowed home runs to Parks Harber and Juan Carlos Sio to take the loss.
The AquaSox, winners of the Northwest League’s first-half standings, fell to 19-36 in the second half and 56-65 overall in a likely preview of the Northwest League Championship Series, which begins Sept. 9.
Trailing 5-3, Everett rallied in the bottom of the ninth as Tai Peete and Josh Caron drew consecutive walks to lead off the inning. Anthony Donofrio cut the lead to a run by driving in Peete with a double. However, a strikeout by Carter Dorighi and Jonny Farmelo’s lineout to deep right field with two runners in scoring position ended the rally efforts as the Emeralds (39-16, 71-50) won the first of a six-game set.
AquaSox starting pitcher Ryan Hawks and Emeralds starting pitcher Cesar Perdomo began the game nearly identically, each throwing five shutout innings to start their outings. The Eugene offense broke the scoreless tie in the top of the sixth as Nate Furman hit a solo home run over the right-center field wall, but Everett escaped the inning without further damage.
Hawks departed after throwing 5 1/3 innings with his only blip coming on Furman’s homer. The right-hander drafted out of Louisville allowed four hits, striking out three and walking none to lower his earned run average to 3.85 this season.
Eugene added a run in the top of the seventh, extending their lead to 2-0. After Jakob Christian reached on a throwing error by Everett shortstop Felnin Celesten and Jean Carlos Sio singled to place runners on the corners, Onil Perez grounded into a double play that allowed Christian to score an unearned run against reliever Ben Hernandez (1 1/3 innings, one hit, no earned runs).
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