Jessie Swimeley Emerald
Emeralds manager Jeff Gardner consults with catcher Nick Trzesniak (left) and pitcher Jeremy Webster (right). The Ems are 14-19.
Ems
continued from page 5
top teams. Boise leads the East di
vision by 8 1/2 games, and the
Emeralds handed the Hawks only
their ninth loss of the season Mon
day night. The Ems lost four games
at Boise by a total of 16 runs, in
cluding a 10-2 blowout Sunday af
ternoon. Eugene’s Geoff Jones gave
up three home runs in the third in
ning of that game.
Prior to the Boise series, Eugene
was swept in a three-game series at
Everett. The AquaSox are current
ly in second place in the West divi
sion with a record of 16-16 before
Monday. After last Monday’s game
was rained out, the Ems dropped
both games of a doubleheader by a
total of seven runs Tuesday, then
another game Wednesday.
Despite all the losses, Gardner
said his team has shown resiliency.
“Their effort has been good,”
Gardner said. “If they ever stop try
ing, then we’ve got something to
worry about.”
The Ems have experienced loss
es in another area as well: in the
injury category, especially in the
bullpen, where several relievers
have been hurt.
“Their effort has been good.
If they ever stop trying, then.
we’ve got something to
worry about.”
Jeff Gardner
manager,
Eugene Emeralds
‘Tve never been a big believer in
using the injury excuse,” Gardner
said. “If you have a good club, you
should be able to overcome those
injuries.”
The Ems were able to overcome
their bullpen deficiencies with lots
of offense Monday night. Outfield
er Doc Brooks hit a two-run home
run — his fourth of the year and
second in two games — to break a
1-1 tie in the fourth inning.
Boise’s Syketo Anderson hit an
inside-the-park home run to bring
the Hawks within two runs in the
bottom of the eighth, but Emerald
outfielder Marcus Nettles scored on
Jason Bartlett’s sacrifice fly in the
top of the ninth to give the Ems a 5-3
cushion. Eugene would need it, as
Boise’s Corey Slavik hit a solo shot
in the bottom of the ninth, but the
Ems held off the Hawks for the win.
The Emeralds now return home
for their longest home stretch of
the year, an eight-game stand
against the Salem-Keizer Volca
noes and the Tri-City Dust Devils.
The Ems’ three-game series with
Salem-Keizer, the top team in the
West division, begins tonight. Eu
gene will lock horns with the Dev
ils in a five-game series starting
Friday.
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H INMAN
Vine-yards
Armstrong riding
for third Tour title
LUZ-ARDIDEN, France —
Lance Armstrong descended from
the wooded peaks of the Pyrenees
on Sunday wearing the leader’s
yellow jersey and on course for a
third straight Tour de France title.
Barring sickness or accidents,
the Texan is almost certain to be
the champion again when the
race ends July 29 in Paris, thanks
to his dominating mountain rides
the past week.
In Sunday's last mountain leg
he was fourth, finishing just be
hind main rival Jan Ullrich of Ger
many. Armstrong leads the over
all standings by 5 minutes, 5
seconds, with six stages left.
In these flat stages it is difficult
for riders to take a big lead.
"This year, he is stronger then
ever," said Ullrich, the runner-up
last year. "Simply unbeatable."
Armstrong took the lead Satur
day after his third stage victory.
All three were in the mountain
stages, which began in the Alps
and moved to the Pyrenees close
to the Spanish border.
He slowed before the finish
Sunday, apparently allowing Ull
rich to beat him. The pair shook
hands after crossing the line. It
was the only time since the start
of the five mountain stages that
Armstrong hadn't overwhelmed
the German rider.
"I tried everything, my team
tried everything," Ullrich said. "I
attacked, my team attacked, but
Lance was simply unbeatable."
After the stage Armstrong at
tended the daily race leader's cer
emony and was applauded by
spectators. He returned to his
team vehicle without speaking to
reporters.
Roberto Laiseka of Spain de
lighted thousands of fans from his
native Basque region by winning
the leg from Tarbes to this ski sta
tion high in the Pyrenees.
Wladimir Belli of Italy finished
second.
Ullrich, the 1997 champion,
moved into second place behind
Armstrong. The two riders record
ed the same time in the 89.6-mile
stage. Armstrong defeated Ullrich
in the previous four mountain
stages.
Ullrich was part of a small
group of riders that included
Armstrong when he attacked with
less than a mile to go. Armstrong
gave chase but unlike the previ
ous mountain stages was unable
to overtake his rival.
The Associated Press
Hockaday
continued from page 5
mic force in their favor as they
begin their 2001 campaign: pre
season ranking. Although many
of the experts will laugh, Oregon
should be ranked high in presea
son polls, which could facilitate
a quick rise to the top of the col
lege football world. The Ducks
ended last season at seventh in
The Associated Press poll and
should be in the top 10 at the
start of this season.
Do you know the ultimate goal
for Oregon? That goal that you
can think, but dare not say?
Go ahead, you can say it.
Rose Bowl. National Champi
onship. Why not throw in a lit
tle Florida State to make the
picture complete, or a dash of
Oklahoma?
Oregon coach Mike Bellotti is
n’t afraid to say that the Rose
Bowl is the Ducks’ goal this sea
son. Could this be Oregon’s year?
Could it finally win the Pac-10,
the Rose Bowl and Harrington the
Heisman for good measure?
Don’t you wish you could an
swer those questions right now... ?
Peter Hockaday is the sports editor for the
Emerald. He can be reached at phocka
day@dailyemerald.com.
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