AquaSox top Hops 7-4, halt 4-game losing skid

Published 10:28 pm Tuesday, July 7, 2015

EVERETT — The Everett AquaSox snapped a four-game losing streak Tuesday night, scoring three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to beat the Hillsboro Hops 7-4 at Everett Memorial Stadium.

The AquaSox (12-8) sent eight men to the plate in the frame, rapping out five hits off two Hillsboro relievers to produce the three runs.

With one out and a runner on first, Rafael Fernandez dropped a perfect bunt down the third-base line that Hillsboro’s Jeff Smith watched all the way, hoping it would trickle foul. It never did, setting the Sox up with runners on first and second.

Logan Taylor lined a single into center field, but it was hit too hard to entice Everett manager and third base coach Rob Mummau to try to send home the go-ahead run.

Hillsboro reliever Will Landsheft rendered it a moot point by uncorking a wild pitch on his first offering to Corey Simpson, allowing Jordan Cowan to score and give the AquaSox a 5-4 lead.

Simpson followed with a run-scoring groundout to drive in Fernandez with the second run, and Alex Jackson added an RBI single of his own to give Matt Clancy (1-0) a three-run cushion to protect in the ninth.

Everett took a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the seventh on an RBI single by Ryan Uhl and a run-scoring double play off the bat of Yordi Calderon, but Hillsboro (11-9) answered back with a pair in the top of the eighth to knot the score again.

Two balks in the inning by two different AquaSox relievers contributed to the damage, and Josh Anderson’s RBI single to left field could have given the Hops the lead, but Simpson’s throw cut down pinch-runner Nate Robertson attempting to score the go-ahead run.

The Hops tied at two in the top of the fifth, and Everett reliever Andrew Moore was fortunate to only allow one run, navigating around three miscues by his defense.

Hillsboro’s Fernery Ozuna led off the inning with an infield single on what should have been a routine pop-up to third base, but Calderon misjudged the ball and it bounced for a single.

After a fielder’s choice advanced Ozuna to second, Jeff Smith hit a hard ground ball to Cowan at shortstop, who attempted to tag Ozuna on his way to third base. Ozuna was incorrectly ruled to have evaded the tag, and by the time Cowan threw to first, Smith was safe.

With runners on first and third, the Hops sent both runners with leadoff man Zach Nehrir at bat, and the AquaSox opted to throw through to second base. Adam Martin’s throw went astray, and Ozuna scored.

Simpson socked his team-leading fourth home run in the fourth inning to give Everett a 2-1 lead.

Hillsboro wasted no time in getting on the scoreboard in the first as leadoff hitter Zach Nehrir launched the second pitch he saw from Everett starter Anthony Misiewicz midway up the netting in straightaway center field for a solo home run.

Short hops

Everett outfielder Luis Liberato missed his third consecutive game on Tuesday night with discomfort in his side. Mummau said Liberato, who ranks fourth in the Northwest League with a .345 batting average, is day-to-day. … Everett’s Andrew Moore, a former Oregon State standout, won a battle against former Pac-12 foe Trevor Mitsui in the sixth, fanning the former UW first baseman. Mitsui, also a former Shorewood High School star, doubled Tuesday. He is now 5-for-12 with two home runs and two doubles in the series.