Bad inning costs Sox

YAKIMA – One bad inning.

That’s all it took for the Yakima Bears to take down the Northwest League’s hottest team – the Everett AquaSox – Wednesday night.

Yakima broke open a tie game by scoring three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning en route to a 5-2 victory at Yakima County Stadium.

Winners of eight of their past nine games, the Frogs, who have relied on their offense throughout the hot streak, continued to swing a good bat. Everett connected on nine hits, five for extra bases.

Despite the nine hits though, the Frogs were able to score just two runs, stranding eight base runners including two in the top half of the ninth.

Everett wasn’t able to take advantage of a strong pitching performance by starter Doug Salinas.

Salinas struck out five, allowing four hits and two runs in six innings.

Salinas was relieved by Ryan Moorer (2-2), who picked up right where Salinas left off before running into trouble in the eighth.

With two outs in the eighth, Yakima second baseman Joe Batten singled on a 2-2 pitch. Batten then stole second and moved to third on Moorer’s wild pitch.

Aaron Hanke followed with a bouncer to right field that scored Batten for the go-ahead run.

Everett (22-27) missed out on opportunities in the sixth and seventh innings when they stranded runners at third base with only one out.

Sox right fielder Welington Dotel tripled with one out in the sixth but was left stranded when Edilio Colina and Kalian Sams couldn’t get him home.

In the seventh, catcher Jeff Dunbar, who had his first three- hit game of the season, doubled to lead off the inning and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Jermaine Brock.

But with one out the Sox again stranded the go-ahead run at third when shortstop Ogui Diaz grounded to second and Jim Davenport struck out to end the inning.

Yakima starter Luis Caro went seven innings, walking two and striking out a season-high eight. William Spottiswood (2-2) picked up the win by pitching two innings of relief and striking out three.