​On Sunday at PK Park, Eugene’s Lisbel Diaz powered the Emeralds to a 9-5 win over the Spokane Indians, closing a six-game High-A Northwest League series. Diaz went 2-for-4 with four RBIs, including two two-run home runs, as Eugene claimed the finale and improved to 10-11 in the standings. The Indians, left to 14-7 on the season, were led by Jacob Hinderleider, who totaled two hits, including a home run, and drove in three runs.
The game got off to a fast start for Eugene. Tommy Hopfe of the Indians delivered the first-pitch solo homer, his 11th of the season, but Eugene answered quickly. In the bottom of the first, Diaz delivered a two-out, two-run blast—his third homer in the week and 13th of the season—capping a burst that left Spokane with a 3-1 deficit. Zander Darby followed with a double, and Jakob Christian knocked him in with a line-drive single, extending the lead to 4-0 before the Indians could settle in.
Diaz added another two-run homer in the third inning, marking his second two-home-run game in High-A once again and giving the Emeralds a comfortable cushion. Spokane did mount a response in the fourth, though. Alan Espinal drew a one-out walk, and with two outs, Hinderleider homered for the sixth time this season, trimming the gap to 5-3.
Darby answered for Eugene in the fifth with a two-run homer, his first since May 27, pushing the lead back to four runs and ending Jordy Vargas’s night after 80 pitches. Vargas was tagged for seven earned runs on eight hits and two walks over 4 2/3 innings, struck out three, and left with the team trailing.
The Indians managed to scratch across one more run in the sixth when Hinderleider delivered a two-out single that brought a runner home, though Kevin Fitzer struck out with two aboard to quiet the rally. Spokane added another tally in the seventh. Tevin Tucker led off with a single, stole second, and scored on an infield single by Roynier Hernandez, but Ethan Hedges flied out and Tanner Thach grounded out to quell the threat.
Eugene extended its margin with a run in the bottom of the seventh on an RBI single from Carlos Gutierrez, then tacked on another in the eighth when Jakob Christian belted his eighth home run of the season. The Ems eventually pulled away to a four-run advantage, setting up the final score of 9-5 in favor of Eugene.
With the All-Star break on the horizon, the Northwest League took a pause until Friday. When play resumes, Spokane will welcome Everett for a three-game series beginning Friday at 6:35 p.m. local time, looking to regroup after this divisional clash and an offensively productive performance from Eugene’s Diaz.