EVERETT – Perhaps the Everett AquaSox won’t miss Nolan Gallagher after all.
Alfredo Venegas, Gallagher’s replacement in the starting rotation, gave Everett everything Gallagher ever did, and the AquaSox ended a frustrating homestand on a winning note, defeating the Vancouver Canadians 5-2 Tuesday afternoon at Everett Memorial Stadium.
Venegas threw no-hit ball through 51/3 innings as Everett (14-21) tasted victory for just the second time in its eight-game homestand. The victory snapped the AquaSox’s four-game losing streak.
“I was talking to some of the guys in the dugout and it was like, ‘Hey, it’s about time to win some games,’” said Everett designated hitter Kalian Sams, who slugged his second home run of the season.
Gregory Halman went 3-for-4 for Everett – though he had an adventure on the basepaths, being thrown out twice – and Welington Dotel was 2-for-4 as Everett managed to avoid playing from behind for a change.
Venegas was the primary reason for that. The 21-year-old from Ecuador was brought in a week earlier specifically to replace Gallagher, the Northwest League’s ERA leader who was recently promoted to Wisconsin of the full-season Class A Midwest League.
As good as Gallagher was, posting a 0.84 ERA in six starts, Venegas was his equal in his first start for the Sox. He kept the Canadians off balance throughout, and the only hit he gave up in six innings would have been a routine double play if the hit-and-run wasn’t on. He even made the defensive play of the game, fielding a bunt up the first-base line and making a diving shovel feed to first to get the out.
Venegas finished with three walks and seven strikeouts.
“Hopefully every time I get a chance, I can throw like that so we can win more games,” Venegas said through translator Roberto Mena.
“Today, I threw fastballs inside while the opposing team was waiting more for curveballs, junk pitches, outside pitches,” Venegas added.
Should Venegas continue to pitch the way he did Tuesday it will eliminate the pain of losing Gallagher.
“We got the reports on (Venegas) and they’re very good reports,” Everett manager Mike Tosar said. “He throws strikes, he mixes up his pitches, he’s got a good fastball and he’s got a good feel for the strike zone. That’s what he did today.
“It’s good to see another good quality starter,” Tosar added. “I’m happy to have him here on the club and he’s going to do well for us.”
Bryan Harris picked up his first professional save with two scoreless innings of relief, for Everett, which heads to Spokane today for a five-game series and doesn’t return home until Aug. 3.
Matt Ray’s double and Dusty Napoleon’s RBI single were the highlights for Vancouver (18-16), which saw a three-game winning streak halted. The Canadians managed just three hits total.
Brad Hertzler, who threw a five-inning rain-shortened perfect game in his last start, fell well short of that performance Tuesday. In 41/3 innings, he surrendered seven hits and a walk, leading to three Everett runs. He also struck out five in taking the loss.
For the first time in five games, Everett got on the scoreboard first. Joe Dunigan and Sams began the bottom of the second with consecutive singles, then advanced to second and third on Jeff Dunbar’s sacrifice bunt. Dunigan scored on a passed ball and Sams came home on Dotel’s single, staking the Sox to a 2-0 lead.
Everett added another run in the third when Halman doubled off the left-field wall, took third on Manelik Pimentel’s single and scored on Sams’ sacrifice fly to center, making it 3-0.
Venegas finally lost both his no-hitter and shutout in the top of thesixth, although without surrendering a solidly-hit ball. With one out, he hit J.D. Pruitt, and Michael Richard followed with a hit-and-run single that would have been a routine ground ball out had shortstop Ogui Diaz not vacated his spot to cover second. Then with runners at the corners, Richard got caught in a rundown. As the rundown continued, Pruitt eventually took off for home and beat the throw, making it 3-1.
But the Canadians gave that run back in the bottom of the sixth. Dunbar was hit by a pitch, then scored when Deybis Benitez topped a ball to third mayhem ensued.
Third baseman Justin Frash’s throw skipped past first, allowing Dunbar to advance to third. Then when first baseman Danny Hamblin tried to nail Benitez at second, his throw sailed into the outfield, allowing Dunbar to score and make it 4-1.
Vancouver cut the lead to 4-2 in the seventh, Ray doubling to the left-center gap and scoring on Napoleon’s single to center.
Sams then homered to right-center in the eighth to complete the scoring.
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