AquaSox run their win streak to four games

KEIZER, Ore. — The Everett AquaSox continue to roll.

Ketel Marte’s two-run double in the top of the sixth inning gave Everett the lead for good, and the AquaSox defeated the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes 6-4 Thursday night in the first game of their three-game Northwest League baseball series.

The victory was Everett’s fourth straight and eighth in its last nine games. The Sox remained in first place in the West Division at 11-3.

Everett twice trailed by two runs, falling behind 2-0 in the first and 4-2 in the third.

However, Alfredo Morales’ homer in the fourth pulled the Sox within one. Then with two out in the sixth Marte smacked a double to center, scoring Morales and Mike Faulkner with the tying and go-ahead runs, respectively.

Everett starting pitcher Dylan Unsworth fought his way through 52/3 innings to earn the win. He allowed four runs — three earned — on five hits and four walks, striking out three. Matt Vedo tossed two scoreless innings to pick up the save.

Joe Rapp went 4-for-5 with a homer to lead the Volcanoes (6-8), who dropped their fifth straight.

The Sox got off to a rough start as five of the first six Volcanoes batters of the game reached base. Left fielder Jamodrick McGruder dropped Charles Jones’ fly ball, allowing one run to score, then Unsworth walked Andrew Cain with the bases loaded to force in a second. However, Unsworth rolled into an inning-ending double play to limit the damage to 2-0.

Everett then tied the game in the third. Chris Taylor smacked an RBI double over the head of Jones in center field, then Jean Acevedo dropped an RBI single into left, knotting it at 2-2.

Salem-Keizer quickly regained the lead in the bottom of the third on Rapp’s two-run homer to left that made it 4-2.

After the Sox surged ahead, they added an insurance run in the eighth courtesy of an error by Salem-Keizer catcher Sam Eberle.

The second game of the three-game series is tonight. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.