EVERETT — After tying the game with three solo home runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, the Everett AquaSox fell apart in the ninth in a 10-7 loss to the Spokane Indians at Funko Field on Tuesday.
Making his High-A debut, Felnin Celesten had his first hit and first home run in an AquaSox uniform on the same play: A solo shot that cut the score to 7-5 to lead off the eighth. Third baseman Luis Suisbel went back-to-back with Celesten to cut it to 7-6, and catcher Josh Caron tied it with a homer of his own after Brandon Eike struck out.
“I was trusting my plan,” Celesten said, with bench coach Hecmart Nieves translating. “(Spokane pitcher Cade Denton) actually threw me the pitch I was looking for (a fastball), and I was able to connect it, put it (on) the barrel and the ball went over the fence.”
But just like when Everett put runs on the board in the fourth and sixth, Spokane had an immediate answer to pull back ahead.
Natanael Garabitos took the mound in the ninth, and hit Skyler Messinger with his second pitch. Pinch-runner Caleb Hobson made his way to third on a wild pitch, followed by a passed ball. Garabitos threw another wild pitch, but Caron retrieved the ball in time to make a play at the plate. It was a close call, but umpire Frank Jones called Hobson safe, giving Spokane an 8-7 lead.
“I thought we had him,” Caron said. “I don’t know, maybe the umpire saw something I didn’t, but it was a close play.”
The Indians added some insurance runs with an RBI single from Blake Wright and a bases-loaded walk from Cole Messina to make it 10-7. AquaSox outfielder Curtis Washington Jr. led off the bottom of the frame with a walk, but was caught stealing. Spokane reliever Luke Taggart retired the next two batters to earn the save.
“Just some free bases, some wild pitches,” AquaSox manager Zach Vincej said. “I mean, just giving them some extra opportunities, and they took advantage of it.”
AquaSox starter Ryan Hawks retired each of the first six Spokane batters, but he got into trouble in the third following Tommy Hopfe’s leadoff double. Hopfe moved to third on a Messinger flyout, and Tevin Tucker worked a full-count walk before stealing second.
Despite putting two pitches in the low-inside corner, Hawks fell behind 2-0 against Indians outfielder Max Belyeu after both pitches were called balls. The count went to 3-1, and not wanting to load the bases with a walk, Hawks put one right in the middle. Belyeu got all over it, crushing it to right-center field for a three-run blast to make it 3-0.
Messinger extended it to 4-0 with an RBI double in the fourth before the AquaSox got on the board. Suisbel led off the frame with Everett’s first hit of the night, a single to right field.
Charlie Pagliarini followed it up with an RBI triple, sending a ball along the first base line before it veered into the right field corner. Milkar Perez walked with two outs to put runners on the corners, and Pagliarini scored from third on a passed ball to cut it to 4-2. However, Perez was thrown out at second on the same play to end the inning.
“It’s just, try to get some walks any way that we can and play some good team baseball,” Vincej said about his team’s mentality anytime Spokane pulled back ahead. “It’s just what we’re trying to do.”
Spokane pushed it to 5-2 in the next frame, but Tai Peete brought Everett back within one with a two-run double to right field in the sixth, scoring Pagliarini and Caron. Pagliarini was hit by a pitch to get on base, and remained in the game after his left arm was checked by trainers. It looked limp as he ran around the bases, and Eike ultimately took his place for the seventh inning and beyond. The team will evaluate Pagliarini’s status going forward.
“He got hit on the elbow, blew his elbow up pretty good, especially (with it being) a right-handed thrower,” Vincej said. “So just being precautious.”
Spokane tacked on runs in both the seventh and eighth innings to go back ahead by three before Everett tied it with their long-ball barrage. Suisbel hit his Northwest League-leading 22nd home run of the season, fouling off two straight pitches to reach a full count before connecting on one down the middle.
Denton left another one down the middle for Caron several pitches later, and the 22-year-old catcher took advantage. Supposedly, the only time home runs are not rally-killers is when the rally consists solely of home runs.
“That was awesome, that was great,” Caron said. “I mean, we’re all competing and we were trying to come back in that game, and unfortunately just fell short.”
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