Ems edge Spokane with early doubles

EUGENE, Ore. – Much of the action swirled around John Mayberry Jr. as the Northwest League baseball season began its 76-game run on Tuesday.

Unfortunately for the Spokane Indians, a couple of first-inning doubles in Mayberry’s direction in right field provided the Eugene Emeralds with a boost during a 3-2 win.

Steve Delabar pitched five shutout innings and Mike Sansoe and Drew Davidson doubled and scored in the first to ruin the debut of Mayberry, the Texas Rangers’ first-round selection in this year’s amateur draft.

Sansoe led off against Doug Mathis (0-1) with a double toward Mayberry in right. After one out, Davidson also doubled to right for a 1-0 lead. Davidson moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a passed ball.

Mathis walked Santiago Guerrero to open the second. Guerrero went from first to third on a groundout to third base, and scored on Jordam Rivera’s groundout.

Delabar struck out seven, walked none and hit Mayberry with a pitch. Mayberry was twice hit by pitches.

With Delabar gone in the sixth, Mayberry lined a one-out, two-run homer off Danny De La O. Steve Murphy, who had walked on a 3-2 pitch, scored ahead of Mayberry.

Spokane left the bases loaded in the eighth when Jonathan Higashi and K.C. Herren struck out. The Indians stranded two runners in the ninth when Murphy flew out.

Kea Kometani is set to start for Spokane tonight.