EVERETT – The Everett AquaSox’s winning streak finally came to an end Friday night.
But it took a veteran of Everett Memorial Stadium to do it.
Former Everett Community College pitcher Zach Simons threw six solid innings, leading the Tri-City Dust Devils to a 9-3 victory over the AquaSox in a Northwest League game.
“It was great,” Simons said about picking up the win on the same mound he pitched on while at Everett CC. “I had some guys from the Everett CC team here and some friends and I could hear them cheering in the crowd. There’s no better feeling.”
Everett (19-19) had won four straight since donning their tie-dyed Frogstock jerseys as a slump buster. But behind the combination of Simons and a 14-hit attack, Tri-City (18-20) brought the streak skidding to a halt.
“I don’t think we were due for an off game,” Everett left fielder Casey Craig said. “The team seemed hyped up. Things just didn’t fall into place.”
A season-high crowd of 4,194 wastch Simons use his guile to pick up the win and improve to 3-1. In his six innings he gave up two runs on three hits and three walks, striking out three.
Simons didn’t overpower the AquaSox, but he kept Everett’s hitters in the infield. He got nine groundouts and his strikeouts came at key times, ending threats in the third and sixth innings.
“I was glad to get the win and put zeroes on the board,” Simons said. “But overall I was a little disappointed. I was sporadic at times and I wasn’t hitting my spots the way I wanted to. I got away with a lot of stuff, so I was lucky tonight.
“My hat’s off to the defense,” Simons added. “the whole year they’ve picked me up when I’ve needed it. they’re the reason why I can get into the sixth and seventh inning on an 80-pitch count.”
Simons also got a lot of help from his offense, which pounded out eight doubles – three by Phillip Cuadrado – and a triple. The Dust Devils had a 6-0 lead before Everett finally scored against Simons in the sixth. And the AquaSox, who managed just four hits of their own, never really threatened Tri-City’s lead.
Nick Allen took the loss for Everett to fall to 4-2. the right-handed starter lasted just three innings, giving up four runs – three earned – on six hits and one walk. He struck out one.
“It was a little sloppy today,” Craig said. “Not much went right. I think we’re the better team and we didnt’ show it. It didn’t look like anyone came out ready to play today, including myself. It just didn’t look like we had it.”
Tri-City struck first in the top of the second on Chris Frey’s RBI double off the right-field wall, giving the Dust Devils a 1-0 lead.
The Dust Devils then roughed Allen up a bit in the third. Tri-City had four hits, including three doubles, in the inning. Jason Van Kooten’s doubled drove in one run, then James Sweeney’s double drove in two more, increasing the lead to 4-0.
Tri-City continued to hit the ball hard off reliever Lance Beus in the fourth, Cuadrado and Van Kooten both putting doubles off the wall as the Dust Devils went ahead 5-0.
The Dust Devils increased their lead again in the sixth when Travis Becktel led off with a triple off the right-field wall, then scored on Michael Paulk’s swinging-bunt infield single, making it 6-0.
The AquaSox finally broke through against Simons in the sixth. David Hall dumped a double down the right-field line, scoring one run. When right fielder Daniel Carte’s was too high for the cutoff man, J.B. Tucker scored, making it 6-2.
Everett scored another run in the seventh, but could have scored more. Ryan Fox came on in relief and promptly walked three straight batters. However, he picked Craig off first. Ethan Katz relieved Fox and although one run scored when third baseman Cuadrado booted Reed Eastley’s grounder, Katz got the next two outs to keep the score at 6-3.
Tri-City extended its lead back to six in the eighth. Cuadrado’s fly ball to right-center dropped for an RBI double after miscommunication between center fielder David Hall and right fielder Mike Saunders. Brian Kirby later samcked a two-run double to center.
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