BOISE — The Everett AquaSox could only ride their luck for so long Tuesday night.
After sneaking out of jams throughout the first five innings Everett finally got burned in the sixth, and the Sox went down to the Boise Hawks 13-7 in the first game of a five-game Northwest League series.
Richard Jones was a one-man wrecking crew for Boise, going 4-for-5 with a home run and four RBI. His three-run shot capped off a five-run sixth inning that snapped a 4-4 tie.
Up until the sixth the Sox held the Hawks at bay despite being outhit 9-3 through the first five innings. But the Hawks eventually took advantage of their opportunities.
D.J. Fitzgerald also homered and Greg Rohan and Bobby Wagner each added three hits for Boise (22-29), which rapped out 18 hits total.
Anthony Phillips smacked a three-run homer for Everett (31-20), which suffered another blow when the Sox lost cleanup batter Gerardo Avila to injury.
Avila, who’s been red hot of late, was beaned in the head by Boise starter Jon Nagel in the second inning. Avila remained on his back for several moments before groggily leaving the game.
His status was unknown, though radio reports said he did not need to be hospitalized.
It was also a different fate for Everett starting pitcher Andres Esquibel.
The right-hander threw a complete-game shutout his last time out, against the same Boise team.
However, he only lasted about half that Tuesday. He labored through 42/3 innings, giving up nine hits and three walks yet somehow managing to surrender just four runs.
Everett’s bullpen wasn’t so lucky as the Hawks blew the game open in the sixth and seventh.
First, in the sixth against reliever Brad Reid, Boise received a run-scoring fielder’s choice from Logan Watkins and an RBI double from Rohan before Jones hit his three-run shot, which just cleared the fence in left-center to make it 9-4.
Then the Hawks made it ugly in the seventh against Eddy Hernandez. Rohan had an RBI single and Wagner added a two-run bloop single, stretching the lead to 12-4.
Everett gave itself a glimmer of hope in the eighth when Phillips yanked a three-run shot down the left-field line to pull the Sox back within five.
However, Everett could draw no closer.
Today’s game
Opponent: Boise Hawks
When: 6:15 p.m.
Where: Memorial Stadium, Boise, Idaho
Radio: KRKO (1380 AM)
Pitchers: Everett right-hander Ryan Moorer (0-1, 3.68 ERA) vs. Boise left-hander Christopher Rusin (0-1, 1.74)
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