EVERETT — It doesn’t seem to matter who the Everett AquaSox put out on the mound at the beginning of the game. Whoever the Sox send out is getting the job done.
Everett received a quality performance from yet another starting pitcher as the Sox defeated the Vancouver Canadians 5-3 Wednesday night at Everett Memorial Stadium. This time around it was Steven Ewing who took care of business.
Because of recent call-ups to two members of the rotation, as well as additional rest days granted to two others, Ewing was the seventh different starting pitcher in Everett’s past seven games. It’s no coincidence Everett is 6-1 during that stretch. Six of those starters gave the Sox quality innings, including Ewing’s four scoreless frames Wednesday.
“We have a great staff,” Ewing said. “(Pitching coach Rich Dorman) has confidence in everyone who goes out there that throws. I think that says it all. I think anybody can come out any night and throw well against anyone.”
Reliever Mark Bordonaro pitched out of a big bases-loaded jam in the sixth, and Alfredo Morales had three hits for the Sox (10-3), who completed a three-game sweep of the Canadians. Everett came into the series trailing the Canadians in the Northwest League’s West Division standings. The Sox departed the series with a two-game lead.
“They were in first place and they’re a very good team,” Everett manager Rob Mummau said about the Canadians. “They’re well-coached and have some good players. But we were fortunate to get three wins here, so we’ll definitely take it.”
Balbino Fuenmayor went 3-for-3 with a double to lead Vancouver (8-5).
Ewing, a 20th-round pick by the Seattle Mariners in this year’s amateur draft out of the University of Miami, was making his first professional start after appearing twice out of the bullpen. The left-hander allowed just two hits and one walk during his four innings, striking out three.
“I felt like I did really well tonight,” Ewing said. “I was keeping the ball down and throwing strikes, and that’s the name of the game.”
Then Bordonaro made sure Everett’s lead held up in the sixth. The Canadians scored twice to cut Everett’s lead to 4-2 and loaded the bases with two out against Marcos Reyna. Bordonaro came in and struck out Matt Newman on a 1-2 breaking ball to end the threat.
“Bordo was a closer in college, so he’s been in those tight situations before,” Mummau said. “So I wasn’t afraid to stick him in there, and he did a great job.”
Everett opened the scoring in the bottom of the second. Janelfry Zorilla led off by ripping a double into the left-field corner. Zorilla advanced to third on a groundout, then scored when Morales singled off Fuenmayor’s glove at first, staking the Sox to a 1-0 lead.
The Sox then added to their lead in the fourth with a two-out, nobody-on rally. Carlton Tanabe worked a walk and Morales singled to bring up Ketel Marte, who guided a two-run triple into the left-center gap. Jamodrick McGruder then poked an RBI single to center to make it 4-0.
Vancouver got on the board in the sixth. Derrick Chung’s topper spun away from Sox third baseman Patrick Kivlehan and ended up going for a double. Fuenmayor lined an RBI double off the right-field wall and later came home on Jordan Leyland’s long single to center, cutting Everett’s lead to 4-2.
Everett got one back in the seventh. Chris Taylor grounded a double down the right-field line, then scored on Taylor Ard’s single to left.
Vancouver got back within two again in the eighth on Leyland’s sacrifice fly.
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