EUGENE, Ore. – The Everett AquaSox had no answer for the Eugene Emeralds’ pitching Friday night.
Five Eugene pitchers combined on a three-hitter, and the AquaSox fell 4-1 in Northwest League play.
With reigning Northwest League Pitcher of the Week Jeremy Hefner leading the way, Eugene shut down the Everett offense to win the rubber game of the three-game series.
Kellen Kulbacki was 4-for-4 for Eugene (16-8), including a two-run double during a three-run, first-inning rally that provided the Emeralds all the offense they needed. Lake Stevens High School graduate Mitch Canham was 2-for-5 with an RBI for Eugene.
Ogui Diaz, Joe Dunigan and Welington Dotel were the only players who managed hits for Everett (11-13), which heads to Salem-Keizer for a three-game series against the West Division-leading Volcanoes beginning tonight.
Hefner was nearly perfect. The right-hander faced the minimum number of batters in his five innings – he gave up a pair of singles, but both baserunners were eliminated when caught stealing. He struck out six in earning his first win of the season.
The Sox managed more baserunners against the Eugene bullpen, but only mustered Edilio Colina’s sacrifice fly in the sixth. Robert Woodard tossed a perfect ninth to pick up his first save of the season.
Everett starter Doug Salinas took the loss to fall to 1-3. He lasted four innings, giving up three runs on seven hits and two walks. He struck out three.
Eugene struck early against Salinas in the bottom of the first inning. Kulbacki smacked a two-run double to left, then Justin Baum followed with an RBI double to left of its own, staking the Emeralds to a 3-0 lead.
The Emeralds had multiple chances to pad their lead through the middle of the game, but left the bases loaded in both the third and fifth innings without scoring.
Everett then got on the board in the sixth after Hefner departed. The Sox loaded the bases with one out against reliever John Hussey on two walks and a hit batter, and Colina’s sacrifice fly to left cut the deficit to 3-1.
But Eugene added a little insurance in the eighth when Canham lined an RBI single to left-center, making it 4-1.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
