SPOKANE — Taylor Zeutenhorst hit a two-run home run in the 12th inning to lead Everett to a 7-5 win over the Spokane Indians as the AquaSox clinched the Northwest League’s North Division second-half title on Wednesday night.
The AquaSox’s victory, combined with the Vancouver Canadians’ 1-0 loss to the Tri-City Dust Devils, enabled Everett to clinch the North Division title.
The AquaSox open the NWL playoffs at home Monday against the Dust Devils, who won the North Division’s first-half title, in the opener of a best-of-three series.
After Zeutenhorst’s home run, the AquaSox increased their lead to 8-5 when Jordan Cowan’s double knocked in Drew Jackson, who had walked.
Jackson, the AquaSox’s shortstop, was 1-for-5 and his league-leading averaged dropped to 372.
Five AquaSox pitchers combined to strike out 19 batters while walking four. Ryan Horstmann, who pitched two hitless innings and struck out four, picked up his first win of the season for the AquaSox.
The Indians took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, scoring on a wild pitch by AquaSox starting pitcher Enyel De Los Santos and a two-run double by Leon Byrd.
Everett used a walk and two Spokane errors to cut the Indians’ lead to 3-1 in the second. Spokane had six errors in the game.
The AquaSox tied the score at 3-3 in the third. Jackson reached on an error, Cowan singled and Corey Simpson was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Jackson scored on a walk to Logan Taylor and Cowan scored when Ryan Uhl grounded out.
Uhl’s RBI single gave Everett a 4-3 lead in the top of the fifth, but Spokane scored twice in the bottom half of the inning to take a 5-4 lead.
The AquaSox tied the score at 5-5 in the sixth when Zeutenhorst doubled and scored on Jackson’s RBI single.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.