AquaSox flounder late again, drop third straight to Hillsboro
Published 8:20 pm Saturday, July 16, 2016
HILLSBORO, Ore. — The Everett AquaSox once again led the Hillsboro Hops early only to see the Hops score a pair of runs in the seventh to take the lead and hold on for a 3-2 win before 4,866 fans at Ron Tonkin Field.
It was the third straight defeat and fourth loss in the last five games for Everett (14-15). The Hops (15-14) have already clinched a series victory in the five-game set.
The Hops erased a 2-1 deficit when Mark Karaviotis singled and scored on an RBI triple by Connor Owings, who then came home on an RBI single from Adam Walton. That gave Hillsboro a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the seventh it didn’t relinquish against reliever Joselito Cano (2-1).
Cano was the losing pitcher as he allowed two earned runs on three hits in 1 2/3 innings in relief.
The loss sullied a strong start from Everett’s Ljay Newsome who scattered five hits and struck out three while allowing one run in five innings. Newsome did not walk a batter as he lowered his earned-run average to 3.72.
Junior Garcia went six innings and scattered six hits and two runs in a no-decision for Hillsboro.
Everett took the early lead when Kyle Lewis’ sac fly scored Johmbeyker Morales in the top of the first.
Kristian Brito led off the second with a towering solo home run as the AquaSox pushed the advantage to 2-0.
Karaviotis opened the bottom of the fifth with a single, and Manny Jefferson followed with a double to put runners on second and third with no outs. Newsome got Connor Owings to fly out and fanned Anfernee Grier, before pinch-hitter Marcus Wilson singled to score Karaviotis.
However, Austin Grebeck preserved the lead when he threw out Jefferson at the plate to end the inning.
Brito and Nick Thurman each had two hits, and Morales had a double to pace the Frogs, who stranded eight hitters.
Karaviotis had two hits and scored twice and Luke Lowery had two hits for Hillsboro.
The series concludes at 1 p.m. Sunday as Reggie McClain (0-2, 6.57 ERA) will start for Everett against a yet-to-be-determined Hillsboro pitcher.
