Eugene Emerges Victorious against Everett, 6-5
August 14, 2018 - Northwest League (NWL1)
Everett AquaSox News Release
Connor Kopach of the Everett AquaSox
(Everett AquaSox, Credit: Shari Sommerfeld Images)
Everett, WA - Everett AquaSox All-Star Michael Plassmeyer had a dominant outing Monday in his two innings of work. The left-hander struck out four while decreasing his ERA to 2.41 and his WHIP to 0.75. The AquaSox bats would not come alive until the middle innings however, Eugene would steal the game in the late innings and leave Everett Memorial Stadium the victors, 6-5. The 3:59 contest marks the longest home game of the season for the AquaSox and second longest since June 20, 2012, when the Sox hosted the Spokane Indians in a 13 inning, 4:08, 9-8 victory.
Ivan Fortunato came on in the top of the third inning replacing Plassmeyer and allowed Eugene to take the lead. Fortunato retired the first two batters he faced, but eventually let Luis Vazquez and Andy Weber on base through a walk and single respectively. Both batters would score on Grant Fennell's double. The inning would end with Eugene on top of the contest, 2-0.
Fortunato began the fourth inning by hitting Eugene's Nelson Velazquez in the helmet. Velazquez then quickly got himself into scoring position, stealing second base one pitch later. Fortunato walked Jonathan Sierra on the next at-bat, putting runners on first and second base with no outs. A ground out would take some of the pressure off, but a wild pitch on the next at-bat advanced both runners. D.J. Artis scored Sierra from third on a sacrifice fly, 3-0. Given the circumstances, Fortunato was happy to end the inning with only one Eugene run scoring.
It took Everett 5.1 innings to score their first run, but they made it count. Connor Kopach logged his second double of the game, putting the Frogs in scoring position. After Geoandry Montilla walked, Jansiel Rivera hit a run-scoring single, bringing home Kopach. Eugene then elected to bring in left-hander Eugenio Palma. The choice paid dividends for the AquaSox. The first AquaSox Palma faced, Charlie McConnell, grounded out, allowing Montilla to score from third base. Palma then relinquished an equalizing balk, plating Rivera from third base. Ryan Ramiz put the cherry on top of the inning, launching a home run to the right field Home Run Porch and giving the AquaSox a one-run lead, 4-3.
Dayeison Arias, who entered the game in the seventh inning, opened the door for Eugene. Arias let up a double and two walks, loading the bases with two outs. It was enough for Everett's Manager Jose Moreno to bring in a new pitcher. With two outs and the bases loaded, it would JT Salter who got the nod for Everett. Salter got behind in the count early, pitching three balls. The right-hander would deal three straight strikes, however, and the AquaSox ended the innings with no runs scoring.
Salter then retired the first two batters he faced in the ninth inning, putting the Frogs within one out of a victory. It wasn't meant to be. Salter walked Reynolds and a wild pitch on the next at-bat then advanced Reynolds to second base. Eugene's Manager, Steve Lerud decided to put speedster Fernando Kelli in as a pinch-runner for Reynolds. Salter's second wild pitch of the inning then advanced Kelli to third base. Salter then walked Velazquez, putting runners on the corners. On the next at-bat, Sierra swung at Salter's first pitch. Raleigh then instinctively threw the ball back to Salter, not knowing that Reynolds was sprinting towards home plate. Salter's throwback to Raleigh at home was not in time and, in dramatic fashion, Eugene locked the game up at four.
Nolan Hoffman replaced Salter in the tenth inning and allowed Eugene, who took advantage of the automatic runner on second base, to muster up two runs off two hits.
It was then up to the AquaSox to bat their way out of the deficit. Rivera's leadoff single brought home Montilla, giving the AquaSox some faith. No more runs would come, however, as a ground out and a double play would end the game, 6-5 Eugene.
The Everett AquaSox concluded the season series against the Eugene Emeralds 5-5 with both visiting teams taking three of the five games in each homestand. The AquaSox will now head out on a six-game road trip, taking on the Spokane Indians and the Tri-City Dust Devils. When they return August 20, the AquaSox will host a three-game series against Spokane, the last home series of August.
W: M. Stophel (1-2)
L: N. Hoffman (0-3)
Images from this story
 Connor Kopach of the Everett AquaSox (Shari Sommerfeld Images) |
Northwest League Stories from August 14, 2018
- C's head home on four-game winning streak - Vancouver Canadians
- Former Duck, Matt Mercer, Returns to PK Park - Eugene Emeralds
- Hops Tame Devils in Tenth - Hillsboro Hops
- Eugene Emerges Victorious against Everett, 6-5 - Everett AquaSox
- Hawks Fall in Extra-Innings to Spokane - Boise Hawks
- Dust Devils Drop Extra Innings Affair - Tri-City Dust Devils
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