AquaSox lose 4th straight, fall 2-1 to Hops
Published 9:16 pm Saturday, July 18, 2015
HILLSBORO — The Everett AquaSox lost their fourth straight game Saturday, falling 2-1 to the Hillsboro Hops in the first of a five-game Northwest League series at Ron Tonkin Field.
Everett right-hander Andrew Moore, who was selected No. 72 overall by the Seattle Mariners in this year’s draft, made his fourth start of the season. Moore entered the game with a 1.50 earned run average and had held opposing batters to a .182 batting average through five appearances.
Moore was sharp in the early going but ran into trouble when Hops catcher Jose Queliz led off the third inning by hitting a Moore pitch over the left field wall for his first Northwest League home run. Two batters later, Zach Nehir singled to right, stole second and scored on Stephen Dezzi’s ground-rule double to left field for a 2-0 Hops lead.
The AquaSox had no answer for Hops starter Carlos Hernandez, who pitched six shutout innings, allowing three hits while walking two and striking out 10.
After Hernandez left the game, Everett scored its only run in the seventh. Hillsboro reliever Lawrence Pardo walked both Erick Mejia and Jordan Cowan before being replaced by Will Landsheft.
Landsheft retired Adam Martin and induced a potential double-play ground ball off the bat of Connor Hale. But Hillsboro shortstop Sergio Alcantara’s made a wild throw to first base, allowing Mejia to score on the error. The run snapped the Hillsboro pitching staff’s 28 consecutive scoreless-inning streak.
Landsheft, Brody Greer, and Ryan Burr combined to hold the AquaSox scoreless in the final three innings to secure the win for the Hops.
