EVERETT – A frustrated Trevor Heid walked somberly back to the batter’s box, mentally kicking himself the entire way.
He’d just missed his assignment, twice failing to get a bunt down in fair territory.
So he knew there was just one way to redeem himself.
Heid made amends by hitting a tie-breaking two-run home run, and the Everett AquaSox went on to defeat the Boise Hawks 6-2 Saturday night in a Northwest League game before a crowd of 3,919 at Everett Memorial Stadium.
“That was gratifying, especially after I failed to get the bunt down,” Heid said. “I’m glad I came through.”
Luis Valbuena also hit a two-run homer and Jon Lockwood pitched four scoreless innings of relief to earn the win for Everett (3-2), which won its third straight after beginning the season with back-to-back losses against the Hawks (2-3).
“It was tough those first two games, thinking about whether this was the way the season was going to go,” Heid said. “But we turned it around, the club’s playing together and I think we’re going to have a good season.”
Heid’s moment of glory came in the bottom of the seventh inning with the score tied 2-2. Alex Gary led off by being hit by a pitch and moved to second on a wild pitch.
Heid was then asked to bunt Gary to third. However, both Heid’s bunt attempts rolled foul, taking the bunt option away.
Heid regrouped, worked the count full, fouled off three two-strike pitches, then lifted a high fly ball to left that cleared the fence for what proved to be the game-winning homer, his first of the season.
“The second (bunt attempt) I thought was fair, so I came back a little nervous,” Heid said. “Now I had to find a way to get the runner over to third. I tried to battle and put the ball in play. I guess I saw enough pitches that I was able to time it.”
Said Everett manager Pedro Grifol: “It’s funny how the game is. You’ve got to get the bunt down there and move the runner over, and he didn’t execute. But he finished with a quality at bat. You’d like to see him get the bunt down in that situation, but I’m pleased with the effort after not putting the bunt down.”
Valbuena added some insurance two batters later, hacking a line drive down the right-field line that just cleared the fence to make it 6-2. It was Valbuena’s first homer of the season.
Everett’s seventh-inning power surge made a winner of Lockwood. In his first appearance of the season, the right-hander faced the minimum 12 batters in four innings, giving up just one single that was erased by a game-ending double play. He struck out one.
“Lockwood did a tremendous job,” Grifol said. “I’m proud of the way he performed. He’s done well all week, including the Everett Cup, and we’re encouraged with the way he’s pitched.”
Everett starter Oliver Arias, who pitched the first five innings, surrendered some hard-hit balls early in the game, but survived because the Hawks hit it right at the defense.
However, it eventually caught up to him in the top of the fourth. Mark Reed led off by lining a ball off the right-center wall for a double. Two outs later Chris Gaskin launched a shot over the left-center wall to give the Hawks a 2-0 lead. It was both Gaskin’s and Boise’s first homer of the season.
The AquaSox tied the score during a bizarre bottom of the fifth. Brian Schweiger led off by popping the ball a mile high in the sky to shallow right-center. However, a miscommunication between second baseman Jose Rios, center fielder Jeff Culpepper and right fielder Jesus Valdes allowed the ball to drop. Rios was charged with the error.
Then with one out and Schweiger on second, Heid struck out on a pitch in the dirt. Heid took off for first, since the catcher did not catch the third strike. The catcher Reed, looked Schweiger back to second before throwing to first to record the out. But his throw hit Heid’s helmet and bounced into the right-field corner. Schweiger scored and Heid ended up on third.
The next batter, Casey Craig, hit a pop fly. The ball came down right on the third base, where Heid stood. Boise third baseman Elvin Puello, both distracted and impeded, dropped the ball, and Craig was safe at first. Valbuena followed with a sacrifice fly to center, driving in Heid and tying the score at 2-2.
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