AquaSox beat Spokane 3-0
Published 10:44 pm Wednesday, June 24, 2015
SPOKANE — The Everett AquaSox busted up a pitcher’s duel with two runs in the top of the eighth inning and another in the ninth to beat the Spokane Indians 3-0 on Wednesday night at Avista Stadium.
Everett improves to 6-1 on the young season with the victory, while Spokane falls to 3-4 with the loss.
Jordan Cowan started the eighth-inning rally with a one-out single, and went from first to third on a single by Rafael Fernandez.
Johan Quevedo’s sacrifice fly to left field brought in Cowan for the first run of the game and advanced Fernandez 90 feet as well. Quevedo threw out four would-be Spokane base-stealers in the game.
Fernandez, who went 2-for-3 with a double on Wednesday, moved up to third on a wild pitch and scored on a fielding error by Spokane second baseman Yeyson Yrizarri.
In the ninth, Luis Liberato greeted Blake Bass (0-1), the third pitcher of the night for the Indians, with a double to right field. Drew Jackson moved Liberato, who doubled twice in the game, to third with a sacrifice bunt, and he scored on a passed ball.
Four AquaSox pitchers combined on a six-hitter, with former Washington State standout Joe Pistorese (1-0) earning the victory with 1 2/3 innings of two-hit relief.
Kyle Wilcox got the final five outs for his second save.
Everett starter Taylor Byrd worked 3 2/3 scoreless innings despite issuing six walks.
The two teams traded zeroes for the first seven frames, with the AquaSox coming the closest to breaking the deadlock in the top of the first.
Quevedo was hit by a pitch from Spokane starter Luke Lanphere with two outs, and moved up to second on a single by Corey Simpson.
Alex Jackson singled to right field, but Spokane’s Doug Votolato cut down Quevedo trying to score.
Spokane left 10 men on base in the loss. Leon Byrd went 1-for-3 with a double for the Indians.
Everett will go for the three-game sweep of the Indians on Thursday night as Jose Santiago makes his first start of the season for the AquaSox.
