EVERETT — In a sense, Sox catcher Mike Zunino called his shot in the eighth inning of Tuesday’s 6-3 victory over Boise.
The count was 2-2 when Zunino got an inside fastball from Hawks reliever Su-Min Jung. Zunino crushed the pitch, but he pulled it foul over the fence in left.
But that was a harbinger for what was to come. On the next pitch Zunino straightened it out and belted a two-run homer to left, putting the ball well within the foul pole.
“It was the same pitch, just a little bit more over the plate,” Zunino said. “I was sitting on a fastball — I didn’t want to get beat by a fastball — but he left the same pitch close to the same spot, so I was just able to react to it.”
Finding the handle
Everett’s errorless game Tuesday ended a not-so-happy streak for the Sox. Everett had made at least one error in 13 straight games prior to that. The previous time the Sox played error-free ball was in a 3-1 victory at Yakima on July 23, which was the final game of the first half.
Tuesday’s clean game couldn’t have come at a better time as Everett committed four errors in an ugly 11-7 loss to Boise the previous night.
Musical chairs
Everett’s current shortage of position players — the Sox have just 11 on the roster, with outfielder Mike Faulkner laid up with a hamstring injury — has Everett manager Rob Mummau getting creative with positions. On Monday catcher Marcus Littlewood played first base for the first time this season as Taylor Ard was given a day at DH. Wednesday it was third baseman Patrick Kivlehan’s turn at DH, so Ard moved over to third for the first time this season, while Littlewood made his second start at first.
Today’s Game
Opponent: Boise Hawks
When: 7:05 p.m.
Where: Everett Memorial Stadium
Radio: KRKO (1380 AM)
Probable startering pitchers: Everett left-hander Steven Ewing (2-1, 6.07 ERA) vs. Boise right-hander Tayler Scott (4-1, 1.90)
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