AquaSox polish off Emeralds 9-4

EUGENE — The Everett AquaSox have halted their fall into obscurity — for one day at least.

The AquaSox, desperately trying to remain relevant in the Northwest League’s West Division after losing nine of their past 10 games, received a 4-for-5 effort and a solo home run from Welington Dotel, capitalized on four errors and never trailed on their way to a 9-4 victory over the Eugene Emeralds on Thursday night at Civic Stadium.

Dotel added an RBI single in the seventh inning and Dennis Raben chipped in a solo home run in the same frame as the AquaSox scored five runs over the sixth and seventh innings to pull away.

The victory snapped a four-game Everett losing streak and improved the AquaSox’s record to 17-26. The Sox remain within striking distance of first place in the West, where Salem-Keizer’s .500 record was good enough for first place entering Thursday night.

First baseman Matthew Clark led Eugene with a two-run home run and was 2-for-4 at the plate, but the Emeralds struggled with errors all night long and the string of pitchers Eugene paraded to the mound were unable to contain Everett’s offense.

Eugene starter Tyson Bagley lasted just two innings and five Emerald relievers combined to surrender five earned runs the rest of the way.

Everett starter Walter Suriel (4-2) pitched five innings to pick up the win and the Everett bullpen provided four innings of scoreless relief.

Everett broke a 4-4 tie in the sixth. Brandon Fromm was hit by a pitch to lead off and Dotel, Anthony Phillips and Tyson Gillies each chipped in singles. Phillips’ single scored two runs after Eugene left fielder Dan Robertson committed a throwing error, and Gillies’ single scored one run for a 7-4 advantage.

Dotel and Raben then each drove in a run in the seventh inning for the final 9-4 advantage.

Everett right-hander Aaron Brown and Eugene left-hander Geoff Vandel are scheduled to face off tonight at 7:05 p.m. in the second game of the three-game series.