EVERETT – The Everett AquaSox were having their way with the Spokane Indians.
But all good things must eventually come to an end.
Everett’s mastery over Spokane came to a halt Tuesday night with a 10-2 Northwest League loss before a crowd of 1,577 at Everett Memorial Stadium.
The AquaSox (15-13) had dominated the first three games of the five-game set against the Indians, winning by a combined score of 29-9. But the combination of solid Spokane pitching, Everett miscues and an offensive surge against the AquaSox bullpen conspired to end Everett’s reign over the Indians.
“We were right in the game until the sixth inning,” Everett manager Pedro Grifol said. “We were throwing strikes and playing the way the game’s supposed to be played. Then in the seventh we walk a couple, we hit a guy and they were able to capitalize on our inability to pound the strike zone.
“It was just their day today.”
Steve Murphy’s RBI single in the top of the seventh inning snapped a 2-2 tie, and the Indians piled on from there, scoring two more in the eighth and five in the ninth.
The victory was a relief for Spokane (11-17), which snapped a nine-game losing streak.
“Sure it’s a relief, who wants to be in a losing streak?” Indians manager Greg Riddoch said. “But I saw the worst losing streak in professional baseball when the Bellingham Dodgers lost 25 in a row (in 1975, when Riddoch was managing in Eugene).”
Everett starting pitcher Nick Allen, who’s been the AquaSox’s most consistent starter so far this season, kept the AquaSox in the game for six innings.
However, Spokane scored eight runs against Everett relievers Edgar Guaramato (0-3) and Cory Koliscak. Everett’s four errors didn’t help either, leading to three unearned runs.
Spokane starter Jesse Hall was knocked out of the game, literally, after two batters. Everett’s second hitter of the game, Luis Valbuena, lined a vicious shot up the middle that hit flush off the left side of Hall’s head. Hall dropped to the ground in a heap as the ball ricocheted into foul territory past third base.
Hall quickly got onto one knee and was able to leave the field without assistance. He never lost consciousness, but the Indians planned on taking him to a hospital following the game for precautionary reasons.
But Spokane’s bullpen picked up the slack. David Smith came on and pitched 42/3 effective innings, Tom Van Buskirk (1-0) followed with three solid innings and Jon Wilson tossed a scoreless ninth.
“We pitched better,” Riddoch said. “We didn’t start hitting until the end of the game, but we pitched better and weren’t down five runs in the third inning.”
Murphy finished 3-for-4 and Julio Santana was 3-for-5 for Spokane.
Reed Eastley went 2-for-4 to lead Everett. However, Everett center fielder David Hall had to come out of the game with an injury in the ninth after making a diving catch.
The teams traded runs in both the first and sixth innings to set the stage for the end of the game.
Spokane retook the lead for good in the seventh. Santana reached on an infield single, German Duran also singled, then Murphy rolled a single up the middle, scoring Santana from second and giving the Indians a 3-2 advantage.
The Indians added insurance in the eighth. With the bases loaded and one out, Santana dumped a single into shallow center field, scoring one run. Then when David Hall’s throw home hit the bag at second base and bounded into shallow right, another run scored, making it 5-2.
Spokane broke the game open in the ninth. RBI singles by John Mayberry and Santana, an RBI triple by Terry Blunt, a sacrifice fly by K.C. Herren and a run-scoring passed ball resulted in five runs as the Indians stretched the lead to eight.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
