Everett Nine Sinks Hops

EVERETT, WASH. (August 15, 2023) --- The Hops’ flickering postseason hopes took a hit on Tuesday night at Everett Memorial Stadium. The Everett Aquasox hit five doubles, all in a nine-run fourth inning, leading to an 11-4 series-opening win over Hillsboro.

The Hops entered the series five games behind second-place Everett for the Northwest League’s second playoff berth, with four weeks remaining in the season. To have a legitimate shot, Hillsboro needs to win at least four of the six games in Everett.

The Hops built an early 3-1 lead behind an RBI ground-out from Kevin Graham in the second inning, and RBI singles by Christian Cerda and Junior Franco in the third.

Hillsboro starter Jose Cabrera allowed a first-inning run on a homer by Sox catcher Harry Ford, but had retired eight straight batters by the end of the third. And in three innings, he had thrown 35 strikes and just nine balls.

But command issues --- both inside and outside the strike zone --- plagued Cabrera and reliever Logan Clayton in the fourth. Cabrera walked cleanup hitter Tyler Locklear to start the inning. Hogan Windish followed with a single, and Walking Cabrera had an RBI double. After an RBI ground-out by Ben Ramirez, the next five hitters reached base, including three straight run-scoring doubles by the top three prospects in the Mariners’ organization, Cole Young and Ford (off Cabrera) and Gabriel Gonzalez (off Clayton). Then, with two out, Windish hit Everett’s fifth double of the inning. When the dust had settled, the Sox had sent 15 batters to the plate, scored nine runs on seven hits and three walks, and led 10-3. It matched the second-most runs the Hops have allowed in one inning during their 10-year history.

Still, the Hops had hope, with five innings remaining in the most hitter-friendly park in the league. And when the Hops loaded the bases with none out in the top of the fifth, things were looking up. But Everett’s Kelvin Nunez worked his way off the hook en route to three scoreless innings in relief of starter Jimmy Kingsbury.

Everett added a run in the sixth, and the Hops scored one in the ninth on two hits and a wild pitch, accounting for the final margin.

The Hops equaled Everett’s hit total with 14, and the top six batters in Hillsboro’s order were productive, going a combined 13-for-26 with four walks. (The bottom three in the Hops order were 1-for-13 with two walks.) Junior Franco led the way for the Hops with a 4-for-5 night, collecting three singles and a double. And newcomer Jack Hurley --- Arizona’s third-round draft selection this year, just up from Low-A Visalia --- went 2-for-5 out of the leadoff slot in his Hops debut.

Nunez picked up the win, and remarkably, the Everett reliever is tied for the NWL lead in victories, with a record of 9-2. Ford had a double and homer, and Windish had three hits and three runs scored for Everett.

Game two of the series is Wednesday night at 7:05. Airtime from Everett will be 6:50 on Rip City Radio 620AM and www.RipCityRadio.com.