EVERETT — The weather held off long enough for the Everett AquaSox to hold their Northwest League season opener Thursday at Everett Memorial Stadium.
However, it was the visiting Hillsboro Hops who opened the Class A short season with a victory as they took advantage of three home runs in a 10-3 victory before 2,399 fans who braved foreboding clouds and a light rain shower just prior to first pitch.
“This is what we came here for, right?” Sox manager Jose Moreno said. “To play the game. First game. It’s going to be a long season and you try to make adjustments and try to play clean baseball and (get) ready tomorrow.”
Jhoan Duran (1-0) fanned four and scattered four hits and a pair of unearned runs to earn the victory for the Hops (1-0).
Everett starter Ryne Inman (0-1) struck out five in 41/3 innings, but was victimized by three long balls as he took the loss for Everett (0-1).
Two of the home runs came on back-to-back pitches in the first inning and were of the solo variety. But then Inman settled down before running into more trouble in the fifth.
A leadoff walk and a one-out single set the stage for Domingo Leyba, who deposited a first-pitch fastball over the fence in right-center to push the lead to 5-1.
Leyba is a highly regarded prospect who is on the Arizona Diamondbacks’ 40-man roster.
“It was a pitch right there in the middle and he really tried to attack the hitters and they were ready,” Moreno said. “There’s nothing we can do… maybe a better location or something like that. Learn from the mistake. They were ready for the pitch and it cost us some runs.”
Billy Endris followed with a double to chase Inman, and Ramos greeted reliever Tyler Watson with an RBI single to extend the advantage to 6-1.
The AquaSox scored once in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI single by Osmy Gregorio, but squandered an opportunity to add more as they left the bases loaded.
“We couldn’t get anything going offensively,” Moreno said. “We couldn’t keep the lineup moving. We tried to come back late in the game, but they were already way ahead. We have to be on time. We were a little bit late on the fastball.”
Hillsboro pushed across another run in the eighth and three more in the ninth thanks to some shoddy Everett defense.
Brayan Hernandez had an RBI triple with two outs in the ninth for Everett’s final run.
One bright spot for the AquaSox was Watson, who threw 2 2/3 innings of one-hit relief. He struck out seven and didn’t walk a batter.
“Really good job (by Watson),” Moreno said. “He gave us the opportunity to come back. He was really good attacking and controlling the zone and was a head of hitters. That was a really good job.”
Inman ran into trouble with one out in the first.
Endris hit a opposite-field solo home run to left field, and Eudy Ramos followed with a solo shot of his own on the very next pitch to left-center as Hillsboro took a quick 2-0 lead. Inman then hit Kyle Smith with a pitch, but induced an inning-ending double play from Yan Sanchez to avert further damage.
The AquaSox got one back in the bottom of the second. Joe Venturino led off by reaching on an error. Two outs later, Venturino was off with the pitch and scored from first as Juan Camacho banged an RBI double off the wall in right-center to make it 2-1.
Then came Leyba’s blast and the AquaSox never threatened.
The AquaSox send Michael Suarez to the mound tomorrow.
For the latest AquaSox news follow Jesse Geleynse on Twitter.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
Gallery
