EVERETT — The Everett AquaSox just keep winning.
And now they’re even gaining ground, too.
Everett ran its winning streak to six games Saturday night by beating the Tri-City Dust Devils 5-3 at Everett Memorial Stadium.
Anthony Phillips broke a 3-3 tie with a two-run single in the bottom of the seventh inning, and Matt Renfree shut down an eighth-inning Tri-City rally before nailing down the save for an Everett team in the midst of its best stretch of the season.
“It feels real good when you’re getting those wins,” Everett manager Jose Moreno said. “The kids have been doing a very good job all season, and right now we have good results. It’s something we focus on every day, don’t get down when something bad happens. You have to work hard, and if you work hard every day you’re going to get results.”
Despite being on a roll, Everett (23-29) hasn’t been able to make up much ground on the Northwest League’s West Division leaders, thanks to simultaneous lengthy winning streaks by both Salem-Keizer and Eugene.
But with Salem-Keizer losing to Boise 3-2 Saturday, the Sox finally pulled a little closer. Everett is now within five games of Salem-Keizer and Eugene, which are now tied for first in the division.
“We try not to look at the standings,” said Renfree, the recently ensconced closer who picked up his fifth save. “The way we look at it and the way our coaches look at it is we only have control over what we can do, we don’t have control over what other teams in the division do. We have to put the pressure on them and if we keep winning games they’re going to have to keep winning games. If they don’t we’re going to gain on them pretty quick if we keep if we keep winning like this.”
The game was up for grabs before Phillips delivered the decisive hit in the seventh. With runners on second and third and two out, Phillips lined a single to center. Welington Dotel and Tyson Gillies scored to give the Sox the lead.
“His approach right there was real good, waiting for a good pitch to hit,” Moreno said of his shortstop. “He was focused on getting the pitch right there in the middle and had real good contact. He’s been doing a real good job for us on defense, and now he’s doing it on offense.”
Then when the Dust Devils threatened in the top of the eighth, getting runners on the corners with nobody out against Phil Hann, Renfree came in and shut the door, getting back-to-back strikeouts before ending the inning on a grounder. Renfree tossed a perfect ninth to close out the game.
Renfree’s performance was indicative of the most noticeable difference between Everett’s current winning streak and the 2-12 stretch that preceded it. For most of the season relief pitching has been Everett’s Achilles’ heel. However, during the winning streak the bullpen has been nearly flawless. In 23 innings the relievers have given up just two runs, only one earned. They’ve surrendered just 12 hits and five walks while striking out 27.
“I think the key for guys is they’re pitching with confidence right now,” said Renfree who’s been Everett’s most effective reliever throughout the season. “We’re not walking as many guys as we were, we’re throwing strikes, putting the ball in play and letting the defense do their job. It’s good to see the guys who were struggling earlier be where they’re at now, and everybody in the bullpen is throwing the ball well right now. I’m really happy for those guys.”
Everett starter Nolan Gallagher was also effective. In six innings he allowed three runs on five hits and two walks, striking out three in a no-decision. Hann picked up the win to improve to 2-3.
Leonardo Reyes led Tri-City (23-29), going 2-for-4 with a homer. Starter Kenneth Durst was also solid, giving up three runs in five innings and striking out seven.
After a speedy first four innings, Tri-City opened the scoring in the fifth on Chris Vasami’s RBI single, making it 1-0.
Everett struck back with three in the bottom of the fifth. The Sox loaded the bases with one out, with Gillies bringing home the first with a sacrifice fly to deep left. That was followed by Ryan Royster’s RBI single, then Dotel scored on the back end of a double steal, making it 3-1.
The Dust Devils quickly tied it back up in the top of the sixth when Reyes lined a two-run homer to left, making it 3-3. The homer was Reyes’ third of the season.
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