EVERETT — Lazaro Montes was ready for the moment.
Tied 5-5 against the Tri-City Dust Devils in a Wednesday night game that slinked into the 12th inning, the 20-year-old Cuban outfielder was in the dugout, just thinking about an opportunity to walk it off. Due up second entering the frame, Montes (3-for-6, 1 RBI) started to visualize the winning play in his mind.
Perhaps he was a little too eager at first. After second baseman Michael Arroyo (0-for-3, 1 R, 3 BB) struck out with shortstop Colt Emerson (1-for-5, 2 R, 1 BB) on second as the ghost runner, Montes took a golf swing at the first pitch he saw, whiffing with enough power to change the direction of the flag blowing behind center field. The second pitch also hit the dirt, but this time Montes held off.
“I just, like I said, push him (Tri-City pitcher Leonard Garcia) on,” Montes said about his approach. “I don’t know whatever pitch, like, fastball, slider, I just push him on. And when I see ‘up,’ I swing.”
Two pitches later, Montes got what he wanted. Receiving a pitch in the outside-middle of the strike zone, Montes ripped it into right field, just far enough for Emerson to slide into home and beat the throw to secure Everett (12-17) the 6-5 walk-off win against Tri-City (15-14).
Wednesday WINSday!
Lazaro Montes sends the fans home happy and the Frogs win in walk-off fashion 6-5! pic.twitter.com/IKDMEGs9Kh— Everett AquaSox (@EverettAquaSox) May 8, 2025
However, it nearly was not a happy ending for the AquaSox, who led 3-1 before Tri-City forced extras with a run in each of the eighth and ninth innings.
“We have a lot of compete with our guys, and a lot of fight,” Everett manager Zach Vincej said. “There’s a good section of the game where we couldn’t get really anything going. But you know, sometimes it takes a full game to get that spark, so I’m glad that they came out and they kept fighting, and they were able to put some good ABs at the end of the game.”
Marcelo Perez and Shaddon Peavyhouse tossed three innings each, collectively allowing three hits and one run while striking out nine. Then Tyler Cleveland pitched two strong innings, but allowed an RBI single in the eighth inning as Tri-City cut it to 3-2.
Entering the top of the ninth, Charlie Beilenson took the mound. After a three-inning, seven-strikeout outing against Eugene last week, the 25-year-old righty would get the save opportunity.
Dust Devils third baseman Arol Vera led off the inning and quickly got ahead 2-0 in the count. After fouling off two pitches, Vera got all over one right down the middle, clobbering it over the right field fence to tie the game 3-3.
“Honestly, I think (Vera) probably guessed right,” Beilenson said. “I went with my bread-and-butter changeup there. Kind of trust it, left it up, and sometimes that happens.”
Not wanting to make the rest of his outing even worse, Beilenson (2.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K) quickly moved past it and continued to have “trust in (his) stuff.” He struck out each of the next three batters to keep the game tied.
Designated hitter Jonny Farmelo (0-for-5, 1 BB) worked a two-out walk in the ninth, and Emerson fouled off three straight pitches behind the plate before flying out to center field.
After Tri-City scored their ghost runner on a sacrifice fly to go up 4-3, outfielder Tai Peete (1-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB) was down to his last strike. On a full count with two outs, Peete fouled a pitch to deep left field.
“See the fastball, hit the fastball: That was all that was going through my mind,” Peete said. “See it, time it up, and hit it.”
The next pitch was up and inside, but Peete still managed to drive it to deep center field for a game-tying RBI double to extend the game.
Tie by Tai
On a full count, Tai Peete doubles to deep CF off the wall, scoring ghost runner Emerson
It’s 4-4 with 2 outs B10. Freuddy Batista up to bat— Joe Pohoryles (@Joe_Poho) May 8, 2025
Vera struck again in the top of the 11th with an RBI double, but AquaSox first baseman Charlie Pagliarini (2-for-4, 1 RBI, 1 BB) responded with an RBI double of his own in the bottom of the frame to continue the cat-and-mouse game and send it to the 12th tied 5-5.
The Dust Devils nearly went back ahead on a line drive to center field by Anthony Scull, but Peete relayed it to Emerson, who gunned down Joe Redfield with a throw to catcher Freuddy Batista (0-for-3, 2 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB) at the plate to keep the game tied 5-5.
According to Peete, they practiced those relays earlier that afternoon. It paid off.
“We do it every week,” Peete said. “That’s what (bench coach Hecmart Nieves) teaches. That’s what we try to produce.”
DO NOT RUN ON TAI PEETE! pic.twitter.com/AtxafHMup9— Everett AquaSox (@EverettAquaSox) May 8, 2025
Finally entering the bottom of a frame without the pressure to tie it up, Montes’ manifestation came to fruition.
“Let’s goooo!” he shouted as he rounded first and the dugout cleared to greet him. Even after the game, he echoed his emotions.
“So exciting, man,” he said. “So exciting, that moment. So exciting.”
Everett AquaSox outfielder Lazaro Montes gets a hit during the game against the Tri-City Dust Devils on Wednesday, May 7, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
The AquaSox have won four of their past five games, and despite letting a 3-1 lead slip, Everett paired strong pitching at the start with a lineup that saw every batter, one to nine, reach base and/or drive in a run through the first nine innings.
“It’s just baseball,” Vincej said. “There’s going to be ups and downs throughout a season, but I think for us right now, we have some confidence going. We’re feeling good. We’re putting together some better at-bats, and our pitching has been great. So it’s just the ebbs and flows of a year, but I think the confidence is there right now.”
Take one look at Lazaro Montes, and you’d be inclined to agree.
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