Frogs Hold off Surging Hops in Ninth, Win 8-7
June 22, 2023 - Northwest League (NWL)
Everett AquaSox News Release
Hillsboro, OR: The AquaSox are on fire. They have now won four straight and six of their last seven after defeating the Hillsboro Hops 8-7 on Wednesday night. The win did not come easy, as the Hops scored three runs in the eight and ninth inning that almost foiled the Frogs, but the Everett bullpen did just enough to preserve the lead and the victory.
It was a balanced offensive performance for Everett as the Frogs managed to score eight runs with the benefit of only two extra base hits in the game. Six of the nine AquaSox starters picked up RBIs in the contest.
The Frogs sent Raul Alcantara to the mound. The lefty was coming off one of his best starts of the season on June 15 against Tri-City, where he went five innings and only gave up two runs. His opponent as Joe Elbis who was making only his third start in his High-A career. His first start came against Everett on May 31 where he gave up two runs in 3.2 innings.
The Frogs took advantage of some wildness from Elbis in the first inning. Two walks and a single loaded the bases, before a free pass to Axel Sanchez let in the first run of the game to make 1-0 Everett. Ben Ramirez would knock in another on a ground out to make it 2-0.
Hillsboro responded with one of their own in the bottom of the first on a JJ D'orazio RBI single with two outs. Both teams would score one in the third inning, before Hillsboro tied it in the fourth after two straight doubles from Jesus Valdez and Gary Mattis made it a 3-3 ballgame.
Everett would retake the lead in the fifth. Two singles and a hit batsmen loaded the bases before Ben Ramirez took a walk to make it 4-3. A fielding error on a ground ball from Andrew Miller dove in another and made the Everett lead 5-3.
Hillsboro scored one in the bottom of the fifth to bring it within one, but the Frogs would keep their run scoring party going in the top of sixth. Alberto Rodriguez doubled a run in and then Hogan Windish singled in another in the next at bat and it was 7-4 Everett. The AquaSox scored their last run of the game in the seventh to make it 8-4 at the time.
Then things got dicey...Hillsboro scored one in the eighth to make it 8-5, before mounting a serious rally in the ninth. Manuel Pena hit a two run home run to make it 8-7, and then Hillsboro put runners at first and second with two outs. After a wild pitch put both those runners in scoring position, Peyton Alford gritted his teeth and struck out Jesus Valdez to end the rally, end the game and get his second save of the year.
LOOKING AHEAD: Everett is now 33-32. They are on an incredible run, winning six of the first eight games on the current road trip. They will look to continue their success Thursday night at 7:05 as they take on the Hops for game three of the six game series. Tune in to 1380 AM/95.3 FM for all of the action. The games will also be on MiLB.TV. The Frogs return to the friendly confines of Funko Field for a six-game homestand against the Eugene Emeralds beginning Wednesday, June 28th.
Northwest League Stories from June 22, 2023
- Emeralds Drop Game 3 Against the Vancouver Canadians - Eugene Emeralds
- Frogs Hold off Surging Hops in Ninth, Win 8-7 - Everett AquaSox
- Weird, Wild Game Breaks Against Tri-City, for Spokane - Tri-City Dust Devils
- Pena's Two-Homer Night Spoiled in Hops' Loss - Hillsboro Hops
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