EVERETT — Lars Huijer’s season just gets better and better.
On the day he was named to the Northwest League All-Star Game, Huijer took a no-hitter into the seventh inning, leading the Everett Aquasox to a 6-0 victory over the Tri-City Dust Devils on Thursday night at Everett Memorial Stadium.
Huijer survived a rocky first inning that featured three walks and three errors, leaving the bases loaded. The right-hander from the Netherlands was nearly perfect afterward, allowing just two baserunners the over the next six innings. At one point, he retired 15 consecutive batters.
Huijer ended up allowing just one hit over seven scoreless innings, striking out seven. He improved his record to 6-1 and lowered his ERA to 1.85.
Christian Carmichael went 3-for-4 for Everett (2-1 second half, 25-16 overall), which broke out of an offensive slump by knocking 11 hits. Tyler Wright threw two scoreless innings of relief to complete the one-hitter.
Alec Mehrten had the lone hit for Tri-City (1-2, 20-21), an infield single in the seventh.
Everett managed just four runs in its previous four games combined, but the Sox matched that in the first inning Thursday.
It began when Bryan Brito led the inning off with a walk, He stole second, then scored when Chantz Mack grounded a double down the first-base line. Mack scored on Justin Seager’s single to left. Then with Seager on third and Austin Wilson on first, the Sox pulled off a double steal to bring Seager home. Finally, Kyle Petty’s infield single brought home Wilson, staking Everett to a 4-0 lead that was never threatened.
Persecuted trainer
It’s not often that a team’s athletic trainer steps into the spotlight during a game, but that’s what happened Wednesday when Everett’s Spyder Webb found himself ejected.
The incident stemmed from the final out of the bottom of the fifth, when Everett’s Michael Faulkner was called out at first despite Tri-City first baseman Patrick Hutcheson seemingly being pulled off the bag by the throw.
Then in the top of the sixth, Webb was leaning against the fence in the Everett dugout with his arms apart, which was interpreted by filed umpire Jeff Gorman as Webb indicating the distance he thought Hutcheson was off the bag. Gorman shouted at Webb to put his hands down, and when Webb didn’t Gorman gave him the boot. Webb, who described it as a silent ejection as he never uttered a word, then came out of the dugout to exchange words with Gorman before departing.
Webb received the full support from the crowd at Everett Memorial Stadium. Several fans held their hands in the air for much of the remainder of the inning, then raised them again every time Gorman was involved in a close call.
Webb estimated it was seventh or eighth time he’s been ejected during his 35 years in the Northwest League.
On the mend
Two Everett pitchers who have been on the shelf are nearing a return.
Right-hander Luke Taylor, a Woodinville native, hasn’t pitched since June 18 because of a shoulder ailment. However, he threw a simulated game Wednesday and came through unscathed. Webb said Taylor should be ready to return to game action in three or four days.
Lefty Ryan Horstman, the Seattle Mariners’ fourth-round pick in this year;s draft, has been out since June 23 because of bicep tendonitis. He’s scheduled to throw a simulated game Saturday in Hillsoboro, and if all goes well he will also return to action soon.
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