GREAT WEST LEAGUE Gems turn out the lights to edge Gold Sox

The Yuba-sutter Gold Sox opened their season on Tuesday night with a late loss to the Klamath Fall Gems, and returned to the field on Wednesday only to play just two innings before seeing the game called due to rain.

It marked the first rainout in the history of the Great West League, and the Gold Sox were hoping to return to some sense of normalcy on the final day of their road trip when the took on the Gems on Thursday night for the finale. So much for that. Leading 6-5 heading into the bottom of the sixth, the game was delayed 25 minutes when the lights at Klamath Falls’ Kiger Stadium failed to turn on. When they finally did light up the field, the Gems immediately scored six runs in the decisive sixth inning and held off a Gold Sox rally at the end to come away with an 11-10 victory.

The Gold Sox responded by scoring twice in the top of the seventh to cut into the lead and added two more runs in the ninth to make it a one-run game. However, a game-ending double play put a halt to Yuba-sutter’s comeback bid and the Sox left Oregon empty-handed.

After what can only be considered an odd road trip, the Gold Sox will now return to Marysville to begin their first homestand of the season.

The festivities begin today with the team’s third-annual Opening Day Parade, which will start at 2 p.m. at Habitat for Humanity and follow D Street all the way to Colusa Casino Stadium.

The Gold Sox (0-2) will then look for their first win of the season when they host the defending league champion Medford Rogues at 7:05 p.m. for their home opener.

“It’s been a crazy trip all together. I’ll just say that,” Yuba-sutter manager Jeramy Gillen said with a laugh. “We’re excited to come home. It was 45 degrees there with the wind blowing, and it will be nice to have a home opener so we can get things going.”