Yakima, WA--- The Yakima Bears were defeated 7-6 by the Eugene Emeralds Wednesday night at Yakima County Stadium. The Bears are still one game back in the Northwest League East Division standings of the Tri-City Dust Devils, who also lost Wednesday.
After giving up a run in the top of the first inning, the Bears managed to answer with a hit and two runs in the bottom of the inning that scored off of a wild pitch and a ground out.
The Emeralds scored a single run in the second inning and then plated three runs in the third to take the lead for good.
All of that scoring came off of Bears starter Yiomar Camacho, who took the loss after allowing three earned runs and five runs total in four innings of work.
Before Comacho exited, however, the Bears inched closer in the bottom of the third when Carter Bell hit a double to drive in Jimmy Comerota.
Kerry Jenkins pulled the Bears within one run in the sixth inning when he singled to score Tyler Bream, who had led-off the inning with a walk.
The Emeralds were slowed at the plate in the middle innings by Bears reliever Greg Robinson. In three and a third no-hit innings, Robinson allowed only an unearned run. That run, along with another which was charged to Cody Geyer, came in the top of the eighth inning when the Emeralds moved out to a 7-4 lead.
The Bears got back within one run in the bottom of the eighth inning thanks to some solid hitting. Justin Hilt hit a triple to lead off the inning and scored on a Bream single. Bream later scored on a Matt Jensen single.
The Bears couldn't manage any more runs in the eighth or ninth innings. The Bears had opportunities throughout, leaving 10 men on base and going 3-for-14 with runners in scoring position.
The Bears did outhit the Emeralds 11-8, but were done in by four errors and two passed balls which contributed to three unearned runs being scored off of Bears pitchers.
Bell, Bream, and Jae Yun Kim all finished with two hits in the loss, while nine of the 10 batters to come to the plate for the Bears reached on either a hit or a walk at least once.
The Bears and Emeralds meet in game three of the five-game series that wraps up the regular season Thursday night. Game time is set for 7:05. Lefty Adam Kudryk of the Bears is expected to start the game against Emeralds right-handed pitcher Will Scott.
