EVERETT – The Everett AquaSox showed Friday night that scoring runs isn’t necessarily a product of hitting the ball hard.
The AquaSox scored the game’s vital runs during a pair of two-run rallies where Everett didn’t hit a single ball hard, and the Sox went on to defeat the Boise Hawks 6-4 Friday night in Northwest League action.
“Fundamental baseball will take you further than the long ball,” said Everett infielder Hyung Cho, who was involved in both of the AquaSox’s key rallies. “The last couple of games we’ve done a nice job of moving runners over, driving in runners in scoring position with less than two outs. We’ve just been playing small ball.”
An Everett Memorial Stadium crowd of 3,888, who got to see Seattle Mariners pitcher Rafael Soriano start, watched the AquaSox scratch and claw their way to victory. Of Everett’s 12 hits, two were bunt singles and two were infield singles. Just one of Everett’s hits went for extra bases – J.B. Tucker’s double. Yet it proved to be enough for the Sox.
“It seems we’re going to have to do that,” Everett manager Pedro Grifol said. “We’re going to have to win with pitching and defense, then scratch out some runs. I don’t mind that. I think we’ve got guys who can handle the bat. We’ve just got to make sure we have solid defense behind our pitching.”
The AquaSox (2-2) scored the go-ahead runs in the bottom of the seventh inning without hitting the ball hard once.
With the scored tied 3-3, Luis Valbuena reached first on a one-out drag bunt single, then Cho grounded a single just under shortstop Scott Hode’s glove, Valbuena taking third and Cho advancing to second when center fielder Davy Gregg bobbled the ball.
David Hall then grounded the ball to third to score Valbuena, and Hall reached first safely when third baseman Brandon Taylor dropped the ball looking Cho back to second.
One out later Daniel Santin dropped a soft single into left, giving the Sox a 5-3 lead.
Everett’s other rally came in the bottom of the fifth inning when the AquaSox scored two runs despite not getting a ball out of the infield.
Trailing 3-1, the AquaSox got runners at the corners thanks to a walk and a bunt single. Then Cho beat out a slow tapper up the middle, driving in one run. Then when Hode threw the ball away, another run scored to tie it at 3-3.
“That’s part of the game,” Boise manager Trey Forkerway said. “You hope they hit it hard enough that you have a chance to make a play. Sometimes that doesn’t happen, and sometimes that leads to extra hits and runs.”
Soriano, on a rehabilitation assignment with Everett, started for the AquaSox. Originally scheduled to pitch two innings, Soriano was limited to one after giving up one run on a hit and a walk. He struck out one.
Left-hander Rollie Gibson earned the win. Gibson pitched 2 1/3 innings of relief, giving up one run on three hits and striking out two.
“Gibson brought a lot of fire to the team on the mound,” Grifol said. “He pitches with a lot of passion and heart. This is the first time I’ve seen him and I liked what I saw. We need a guy like that.”
Edgar Guaramato earned his first save of the season, tossing a perfect ninth.
Boise reliever Michael Jones, who was on the mound in the seventh, was saddled with the loss.
Casey Craig finished 3-for-4 with an RBI for Everett. Cho and Mike Saunders each was 2-for-4.
Gregg and Mark Reed each scored two runs and Jesus Valdes drove in two for Boise.
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