Petty's Two-Run Homer Rescues AquaSox

Down two in 8th, Cousino and Petty belt two-run homers to lift Everett to 7-5 win over Salem-Keizer

July 16, 2014

EVERETT, Wash. - The Everett AquaSox blew a three-run lead to fall behind by two with six outs to go, but Austin Cousino and Kyle Petty came to the rescue with a pair of two-run homers in the bottom of the eighth to lift Everett to a 7-5 win over the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes at Everett Memorial Stadium Tuesday.

Trailing 5-3 entering the home half of the eighth, Cousino belted his team-leading fourth home run off reliever Steven Neff with Nelson Ward aboard to tie the game. Then after Corey Simpson singled, Petty hit a rising line drive to center field that easily cleared the batters eye for the game winning RBIs. Hawtin Buchanan (2-0) worked the ninth to earn his second professional win, retiring Fernando Pujadas with the tying runs on base to end the game.

The furious rally came after the AquaSox had squandered an early 3-0 lead. Everett led off the first and second innings with homers against Volcanoes starter Jose Reyes. In the first, it was Ward cranking a high, soaring shot over the manual scoreboard in right, his first professional home run. Luke Guarnaccia then led off the second with a solo homer to dead center, his first of 2014. The third Everett run also came in the first inning, as Reyes followed Ward's homer by issuing back-to-back walks to Cousino and Adam Martin. Cousino then came around to score on a fielder's choice by Sheehan Planas-Arteaga.

But after Cousino singled with two-out in the second, extending his hitting streak to a season-high ten games, the AquaSox bats went silent as Reyes and reliever Jake McCasland combined to set down 15 of the next 16. The one blemish was Ward, who was hit by a pitch in the fifth and then picked off first by Reyes. The 'Sox did not get another hit until Ward reached on an infield single to start the eighth.

Meanwhile, Salem-Keizer chipped away at the lead. Everett starter Ryan Yarbrough faced the minimum through two and two-thirds innings, but the Volcanoes capitalized when the lanky lefty finally made a mistake. With two-out in the third Yarborugh hit the no. 9 hitter, Johneshwy Fargas. Fargas then scored when Seth Harrison doubled to left to put Salem-Keizer on the scoreboard. The Volcanoes then pulled within a run against reliever Ramire Cleto in the fifth when they loaded the bases with nobody out thanks to a couple of singles and an error. Harrison lofted a sacrifice fly to right that brought home Fernando Pujadas and cut the Frogs lead to 3-2.

Salem-Keizer seized their first lead of the game in the sixth. After Cleto hit Skyler Ewing with a pitch and Travis Relaford reached on a bunt single, Pujadas lined a two-run double into the left field corner to drive in the tying and go-ahead runs and put the Volcanoes up 4-3. Salem-Keizer added one run in the eighth when Relaford walked and scored on a single by Fargas, setting the stage for the heroics in the home half of the inning.

Yarbrough, the Mariners' fourth round pick this year, remains without a decision this season. The southpaw went three innings, giving up one run on two hits. He struck out two and walked none. Ward and Cousino were both 2-3 for the 'Sox. Neff (1-1) took the loss for Salem-Keizer after giving up the four runs in the eighth.

The AquaSox (9-23) and Volcanoes (15-17) play the middle game of their five-game series at Everett Memorial Stadium Wednesday at 11:05 AM. Jeffeson Medina (0-3, 3.86) starts for Everett against Salem-Keizer's Nick Gonzalez (0-2, 3.33). AquaSox 2014 season and individual game tickets are available now online at www.aquasox.com and by phone at 425-258-3673.