Hawks Shutout Everett, 7-0

BOISE, Idaho - James Pugliese and two relievers combined on a three-hit shutout, as the Boise Hawks pounded out a season-high 16 hits in a 7-0 victory over the Everett Aquasox at Memorial Stadium.

The win for the Hawks clinches their first above .500 first half since the Northwest League switched to a split season schedule and their first winning record at the midway point of the season since 2008.

Pugliese was dominant, allowing just two hits in five innings of work to pick up his third win of the season. The righty has not allowed a run in his last 13 and a third innings of work.

The Hawks jumped on Everett starter Tyler Olson in the first, loading the bases with one out - with Cael Brockmeyer being plunked by a pitch to plate the first run of the night and David Bote following with a sacrifice fly.

Boise would add a pair in the second - as Shawon Dunston Jr. singled in a run and Yasiel Balaguert roped an RBI double off the right field wall. Bote would record back-to-back run scoring hits in the next two frames - singling home a run in the third and doubling in a run in the fourth to extend the lead to 6-0.

Dunston went 4-for-5 with two RBI in the win - his second four-hit game of the season, with Jordan Hankins going 3-for-4 with two runs scored.

The series finale is tomorrow night, with Rob Zastryzny meeting Thyago Vieira at 7:15 p.m.

NOTES: Tyler Skulina was dominant in his sixth-straight appearance for Boise, tossing two shutout innings, striking out five...the fourth-round pick has not allowed a run in 10 innings this season...Lance Rymel went 2-for-4, extending his hit streak to nine games, while Brockmeyer went 2-for-3 and is now 7-for-11 in the series...both teams had players leave the game with injuries - as Everett third-baseman and Seattle Mariners first-round pick D.J. Peterson injured his thumb on a Rony Rodriguez ground ball in the first inning, while Dunston and Bote left the game in the seventh inning after colliding on a Carlton Tanabe fly ball (no further updates on the players have been provided)...the Hawks 20-17 record is their best 37 game record since the 2008 season when the team was 23-14 (Boise was 12-25 at this point last season).