EUGENE — The Everett AquaSox nearly recorded a season first Friday night. Fortunately for them, it was one they avoided.
Everett kept its scoring streak alive, losing 4-1 to the Eugene Emeralds in a Northwest League game at Civic Stadium.
Center fielder Tyson Gillies scored the lone AquaSox run on a wild pitch — the next-to-last pitch of the night — preventing Everett (17-27) from being shut out for the first time this season.
The loss was Everett’s 10th in its past 12 games.
The Sox were done in by strong pitching from Eugene starter Geoff Vandel — six innings, three hits, and four strikeouts — and a perfect night at the plate by Emeralds center fielder Blake Tekotte.
Tekotte led off the bottom of the first inning with a home run and followed that up by finishing the game with a double, two walks and three runs scored.
Tekotte scored Eugene’s second run in the third inning when he walked then took third on a throwing error by Everett starter Aaron Brown.
Brown attempted to pickoff Tekotte off first but instead ended up throwing the ball down the right-field line.
Tekotte trotted home on a sacrifice fly by Dan Robertson.
Tekotte scored his third run on a seventh-inning single by Robertson. Robertson finished 1-for-3 with two RBI.
Vandel kept the Sox hitters at bay, allowing only one hit in his final four innings on the mound.
It was a much different outing than the last time Vandel faced Everett. The left-hander allowed seven runs in just 21⁄3 innings in a 9-4 Sox win on July 16. Third baseman Bennett Billingsley and first baseman Manelik Pimentel led the Sox with two hits apiece.
Brown (0-3) took the loss despite pitching five solid innings, scattering four hits and giving up three runs, two earned.
