Vancouver Belts Two Homers, Down 'Sox 6-5
EVERETT, Wash. - The Vancouver Canadians, who had just four home runs as a team entering play Tuesday, belted a pair of long balls to send the Everett AquaSox to a 13th loss in their last 15 games by a final of 6-5 at Everett Memorial Stadium.
Two days after Everett snapped a nine-game home losing streak, the AquaSox could not sustain the positive momentum on offense or on the mound, striking out ten times at the plate and allowing Vancouver to score all their runs with two outs.
After neither squad was to do anything offensively through the first three innings, the bottom of the Canadians order put together the first two-out rally in the fourth. Everett starter Luiz Gohara got two quick outs but gave up a single to Jonathan Davis and hit Boomer Collins with a pitch. Nine-hitter Sean Hurley then turned around a 1-0 fastball, putting it out to left for his first home run to give Vancouver a 3-0 lead and chase Gohara. Vinny Nittoli came on in relief and allowed two runners to reach base before giving up an RBI single to Franklin Barreto to push the lead to four.
The AquaSox' Corey Simpson blasted a two-run homer off Vancouver starter Starlyn Suriel to cut the Canadians' lead in half at 4-2. Suriel had set down the first nine in order before giving up a single to Chris Mariscal leading off the fourth. The majestic shot to left was Simpson's second of 2014. Everett then got within one in the fifth thanks to a suicide squeeze bunt by Jordan Cowan that was perfectly placed down the third base line. Scoring on the play was Kyle Petty, who had singled leading off the inning and moved around to third on a fielder's choice and a wild pitch.
But Tim Locastro belted a two-run homer off Nittoli, his first, with two outs in the sixth to put Vancouver back up by three at 6-3.
The 'Sox again pulled within one in the home half of the inning. After scoring on Simpson's homer, Mariscal showed some pop of his own, hitting a solo homer off Suriel to start the inning. Austin Cousino followed with a single and promptly stole second and third, his eleventh and twelfth stolen bases of the season. Simpson would then come through again, lining an RBI single up the middle to plate Cousino and end Suriel's night. Canadians reliever Yelfrey Del Rosario would walk the next hitter to put the tying run in scoring position, but recovered to strike out Petty and Taylor Smart to end the inning. Everett would only have one more base runner the rest of the game.
The AquaSox suffered their tenth one-run loss of 2014 and fell to 6-19 overall. Gohara (0-2) was saddled with the loss. The 17-year-old from Brazil gave up three runs on three hits. He walked three and struck out three. Simpson was 2-4 with three RBI. Adam Martin was 0-4, snapping his eight-game hitting streak.
Vancouver moved to 15-10 as Suriel (2-1) picked up his second win. Kamakani Usui earned his fourth save, setting down the side in order in the ninth. Locastro, who had zero extra-base hits entering play Tuesday, was 2-4 with a home run, a double, and two RBI for the Canadians.
The middle game of the series with Vancouver is Wednesday at 7:05. Dan Altavilla (0-0, 5.14) takes the ball for Everett. Jairo Labourt (1-1, 1.77) will get the start for Vancouver. AquaSox 2014 season and individual game tickets are available now online at www.aquasox.com and by phone at 425-258-3673.