PASCO – One quick home run erased a slow comeback by the Everett AquaSox on Friday in a 5-4 loss to the Tri-City Dust Devils.
After the Frogs battled back from an early 4-0 deficit to tie the score in the top of the eighth at Tri-Cities Stadium in Pasco, Dust Devils left fielder Matt Miller hit a first-pitch, solo homer off AquaSox reliever Mumba Rivera (1-2) in the bottom of the inning.
Everett (14-9) lost for the third time in four games but remained atop the West Division of the Northwest League. Tri-City (13-10) leads the East Division.
The Frogs, who committed two costly errors in the first inning to hinder a solid outing from Everett starter Kendall Bergdall, went down 1-2-3 in the ninth to Tri-City closer Jim Miller.
The Frogs managed only two hits through seven innings, but used three straight hits in the eighth to tie the score at 4.
Oswaldo Navarro singled up the middle and scored Everett’s third run when Asdrubal Cabrera sneaked a double through the gap in left-center. Brandon Green followed with a score-tying RBI single.
The Dust Devils took advantage of some poor Everett defense in the first inning to take a 3-0 lead.
Consecutive errors by Navarro and center fielder Mike Wilson handed Tri-City its first of three unearned runs.
After two Tri-City singles loaded the bases, Bergdall issued a four-pitch walk to Erik Dean for a 2-0 score. Rick Guarno drove in the game’s third run with a groundout to short.
Matt Macri’s RBI single in the second inning gave the Dust Devils a 4-0 advantage.
The only Frog to reach base during the first three innings against Tri-City starter Juan Morillo was No. 9 hitter Trevor Heid, who was hit by a pitch.
The AquaSox finally broke through in the fourth.
Navarro walked and went to third when Dust Devils right fielder Florentino Nunez dropped a fly ball for a two-base error. Marshall Hubbard’s single scored Navarro and Green to cut Tri-City’s lead to 4-2.
While the Everett offense got going, Bergdall retired 11 straight. The string ended when he hit Guarno with a pitch in the sixth. An ensuing double play allowed Bergdall to face the minimum during the third, fourth, fifth and sixth innings.
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