EVERETT – The Everett AquaSox’s offense bore a striking resemblance to the weather Tuesday night: cold, damp and dreary.
The AquaSox managed just three hits in a 3-1 Northwest League loss to the Boise Hawks in a game shortened to eight innings because of rain.
A crowd of 1,051 brave souls weathered the persistent rain that fell most of the game, finally prompting the umpires to call it off after the end of the eighth.
“We just didn’t come up with the big play when we needed it,” Everett designated hitter Matt Tuiasosopo said. “Our pitchers pitched well, (starter Aaron) Trolia had a good game. We just didn’t hit when we needed to.”
Everett (37-27) suffered its second straight loss to open its five-game series against the Hawks (35-29). However, the AquaSox remained 21/2 games ahead of Vancouver for first place in the West Division after the Canadians lost 4-3 at Yakima.
Everett was able to muster just three singles against four Boise pitchers. Hawks Starter Chris Shaver went four innings, giving up one run on three hits and three walks, striking out two. Reliever Paul Schappert picked up the win by throwing three hitless innings. He walked one and struck out four to improve to 1-2.
Jerry Blevins and Will Fenton polished off the eighth. Fenton got his fourth save of the season despite not retiring a batter – he was on the mound when Asdrubal Cabrera was caught stealing to end the game.
“Their pitchers pitched pretty well,” Tuiasosopo said. “They mixed it up well. We just didn’t make any adjustments.”
Boise didn’t fare much better offensively, mustering just six hits of their own, also all singles. The Hawks scored what proved to be the two decisive runs in the top of the third inning without hitting a ball hard. Ryan Norwood’s soft two run single, which gave Boise a 3-0 lead, barely got over the outstretched glove of Everett first baseman Brandon Green.
“It was tough on the hitters for both teams, playing in constant rain like that,” Boise manager Tom Beyers said. “We got a break with Norwood’s hit. We were lucky that it got over the first baseman’s head. And we played well defensively again.”
Trolia (1-3) was the hard-luck loser. He threw six solid innings, giving up three runs on six hits and two walks, and striking out four. Reliever Brad Rose, making his AquaSox debut, was even more effective, pitching two perfect innings with two strikeouts.
“I was glad for safety reasons (the game was shortened) because the field was getting in bad shape,” Beyers said. “Both teams did a good job of adjusting to the elements. You have to give the pitchers credit for being able to throw the ball over the plate.”
Boise jumped out in front in the top of the first. Bobby Deeb led off the game with an infield single and hustled into third on Jasha Bascom’s hit-and-run single. Deeb scored on Luis Montanez’s fielder’s choice grounder to stake the Hawks to a 1-0 lead.
The Hawks then scored two more in the third. With two out and nobody on, Luis Montanez walked, Ryan Harvey grounded a ball that hopped past third baseman Brent Johnson for a single, and Kyle Boyer hit an infield single, loading the bases. Norwood followed by dropping a soft single just over Green, scoring two runs to make it 3-0.
Everett got onto the board in the fourth. With two out, Johnson walked, Mike Wilson was hit by a pitch and Omar Falcon walked, loading the bases. Trevor Heid then lined a single to left, scoring Johnson. However, left fielder Montanez threw Wilson out at the plate to end the inning, leaving the score at 3-1.
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