EVERETT — Kyle Petty and Kristian Brito powered the Everett AquaSox to a much-needed win Monday night.
Petty and Brito combined to drive in five runs as the Sox topped the Vancouver Canadians 8-6 at Everett Memorial Stadium.
Everett managed just five hits in the game, but Petty and Brito made the most of those. Petty finished 2-for-3 with three RBI, and Brito went 2-for-3 with a homer as the Sox rallied from a 4-1 deficit.
The victory ended a sinking spell for Everett (11-14 second half, 22-41 overall), which had dropped three straight and 10 of its past 13.
Everett received a solid pitching performance from Dan Altavilla, who gave up four runs and struck out seven in his six-inning stint to earn the win. Altavilla has won each of his past five starts.
Trey Cochran-Gill got the final five outs to earn the save, giving him saves in each of his two appearances with the Sox this season.
Ryan McBroom and Michael Reeves each slugged two-run homers to lead Vancouver (12-13, 37-26).
Everett trailed 4-1 going into the bottom of the fifth inning, but two walks and an error to start the innings set up a three-run rally that tied the score 4-4.
The Sox took the lead in the sixth when Petty ripped an RBI double to center to score Corey Simpson from first. Then Everett gave itself cushion with three more in the seventh, the first two coming home on Petty’s single to left-center and the third scoring on Brito’s single to right-center.
Catching quandry
Everett suddenly finds itself stretched at catcher.
If there’s one position where the Sox have been well stocked throughout the season, it’s behind the plate as Everett has generally had four catchers listed on the roster. But Monday the Sox found themselves scraping the bottom of the barrel for backstops.
First, Luke Guarnaccia was called up to Clinton of the mid single-A Midwest League, taking away one of the options. Second, Adam Martin remains sidelined because of a bruised right forearm, suffered when taking a foul tip during Saturday’s game against Vancouver. Finally, James Alfonso hasn’t played in the field since last Wednesday and has been seen needing assistance returning the ball when warming pitchers up in the bullpen.
That left Kyle Petty, who is listed as a catcher on the roster but has spent most his time this season playing first and third base. Petty was Everett’s starting catcher Monday.
As for Guarnaccia, he departed having batted .266 with one home run and four RBI in 21 games with the Sox. He also deprives Everett of one of its bullpen arms as he made four appearances on the mound when the Sox ran out of available pitchers.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
