EVERETT — When the 2015 Everett AquaSox season began, Luis Liberato was just another anonymous prospect in the Seattle Mariners minor-league system. Browse through the Mariners media guide’s minors section and Liberato’s entry is brief and lacking in any distinguishing characteristics that may cause a reader to pause for a closer look — other than his unusual name.
But if Liberato continues to play they way he has to start the season, he won’t be anonymous much longer.
Liberato continued his torrid start to the Northwest League season, coming a double away from hitting for the cycle as he led the Sox to a 6-1 victory over the Boise Hawks on Saturday evening at Everett Memorial Stadium.
Liberato finished 3-for-4 with a homer and a triple as Everett (8-2) continued its scorching start to the season.
“The guys are staying positive and playing hard,” said Everett manager Rob Mummau, whose team bounced back in impressive fashion after having a six-game winning streak snapped by the Hawks on Friday. “Let’s keep it going.”
Liberato received plenty of help from his teammates Saturday. Corey Simpson homered, doubled and drove in three runs, while Logan Taylor went 3-for-4.
Eric Toole went 2-for-3 to lead Boise (4-6).
Liberato, who hails from the Dominican Republic, was the other 19-year-old outfielder on Everett’s initial roster. Alex Jackson, the Mariners’ first-round pick in the 2014 amateur draft and universally listed as the top prospect in Seattle’s organization, was the one who arrived in Everett to all the fanfare.
But everything about Liberato, at least through his first two weeks with the Sox, has screamed potential. He’s shown blazing speed, which he’s used to great effect both on the basepaths and in the outfield. He’s shown pop, despite measuring in at just 175 pounds on his wiry 6-foot-1 frame.
And his numbers have been off the charts. Through nine games the left-swinging Liberato is batting .432 and leading the league in extra-base hits (eight of his 16 hits have gone for extras) and slugging percentage (an obscene .865). His production has even come without the strikeouts that typically accompany power numbers as he’s gone down on strikes just three times this season.
For good measure, Liberato’s single Saturday came when he beat out a well-executed bunt.
“He’s playing great,” Mummau said. “He’s playing with energy, he can do a lot of things. He can run, he has power, he puts the bat on the ball. He’s a real good player.”
Everett was equally effective on the mound as four pitchers combined on an eight-hitter. Starter Anthony Misiewicz and reliever Joe Pistorese each tossed three scoreless innings, with Pistorese being credited with the win.
Andrew Moore, the top pick from this year’s amateur draft currently on Everett’s roster as he was selected by the Mariners in the second round, made his second appearance as a pro. The right-hander from Oregon State University, who threw three perfect frames in his debut, gave up a run on three hits and struck out three in his two innings.
“They were good,” Mummau said of his pitchers. “They threw a lot of first-pitch strikes, got ahead a lot. Moore and Misiewicz just battled and did a great job for us.”
After threatening in the first two innings, the Sox finally cashed in during the third. Drew Jackson led the inning off by dropping a soft single into center. Liberato followed by ripping a liner that painted the right-field line. Jackson came all the way around to score on the triple to open the scoring. One out later, Liberato scampered home on Simpson’s groundout to short to make it 2-0.
Boise got on the scoreboard in the top of the fifth. Joey Wong led the inning off by lining a ball to left that Simpson dived for but missed, with Wong ending up with a double. He later scored on Toole’s single to center to pull the Hawks within one at 2-1.
But Liberato was at it again in the bottom of the fifth, leading off the inning by blasting a solo home run deep into the homer porch in right field. His third homer in just nine games made it 3-1 and chased Boise starter Colin Welmon.
Simpson kept the offense coming against reliever Cesar Villarroel. After Villarroel walked the first batter he faced, Simpson followed by lining a shot to right-center that just cleared the fence for a two-run home run, giving Everett a 5-1 lead that was never in danger.
Short hops
Former Seattle Mariners relief pitcher Jeff Nelson was at Saturday’s game. He was the headliner for the Sox’s Seattle Mariners Tribute Night, throwing out the first pitch and signing autographs. … Alex Jackson was back in the lineup for Everett on Saturday. The prized prospect sat out the previous two games after fouling a ball off his ankle during Everett’s game at Spokane on Wednesday. … Sox outfielder Braden Bishop did not play Saturday. Bishop, the Mariners’ third-round pick in this year’s draft, was hit on the leg by a pitch in Friday’s game and had to be removed. He’s considered day-to-day. … Sox third baseman Conner Hale, freshly arrived after playing for LSU at the College World Series, made his first professional start Saturday. He made his pro debut Friday night when he pinch ran for Bishop.
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