Big Fourth Inning Leads AquaSox to Blowout Win

Everett, WA (August 18, 2023) – The Hops and AquaSox met for game four of a six-game set at Funko Field on Friday and it was déjà vu from Tuesday’s 11-4 Everett win. In both games, the AquaSox scored 11 runs and had a huge fourth inning. On Tuesday, they scored nine in the fourth and on Friday, they scored seven in the fourth. James Parker had two extra-base hits including a two-run home run, en route to a 5 RBI game and a 11-2 AquaSox win.

Joe Elbis had been brilliant over his last 25 innings of work, allowing just one earned run over that frame. He was back on the bump for the Hops to face Everett for the fourth time this season. Harry Ford doubled in the first and Ben Ramirez doubled in the second, with Ramirez scoring on the first of five RBI in the game by James Parker on a groundout.

Nick Davila was also making his fourth start against Hillsboro, a team he had a 6.00 era against in 15 innings entering Friday’s contest. Those struggles were nowhere to be seen, as Davila turned in one of his longest outings of the season. Tommy Troy just missed his fourth High-A home run for a long double in the first and Andrew Pintar extended his hit-streak to six games with a single in the second, but both would be stranded on base. It was 1-0 Everett after two.

The Hops had nightmares of Tuesday night’s fourth inning again on Friday, as the AquaSox put up seven runs on seven hits. Joe Elbis allowed a two-run homer to James Parker and another double to Harry Ford, giving way to Listher Sosa. The first three pitches Sosa threw resulted in back-to-back-to-back hits that extended the Everett lead to 8-0.

The Hops offense didn’t put up much of a challenge for Davila until the sixth inning, when Hurley and Troy both reached base to start the inning. David Martin cleared the bases with a double to the right centerfield gap, his first High-A double to bring the deficit to 8-2. Davila completed six innings while striking out six and allowing six hits and two runs.

Everett got three brilliant outings from Taylor, Carlson and Bayless out of the bullpen, all of whom pitched one inning and combined for six strikeouts without allowing a run.

The AquaSox tacked on two more runs in the seventh and one in the eighth on a home run by Hogan Windish. The AquaSox put up 11 runs on 14 hits, with five players having an extra-base hit in the game and five players recording multi-hit games.

Game five of the series will be tomorrow at Funko Field, with first pitch at 7:05 and the pregame show at 6:50 on Rip City Radio 620.