EVERETT — Brandon Eike was sitting heater.
In the bottom of the fourth inning of a 1-1 game against the Spokane Indians at Funko Field on Wednesday, the Everett AquaSox designated hitter had worked a 2-0 count before fouling off a third pitch down the middle. The 23-year-old Eike expected another fastball from Spokane starter Alberto Pacheco to get the count even, and he got one at the top of the zone.
With his swing timed perfectly, Eike sent the pitch over the right field wall to put the AquaSox ahead 2-1. Everett added another run later in the inning, and starting pitcher Ryan Hawks put together quick outs to spearhead the 4-1 win. The AquaSox are 3-2 since the All-Star break after starting July with a 4-8 record.
“Honestly, the break was good for us. Just a little reset,” Hawks said. “A lot of the guys kind of get away from the field, kind of just take a mental break from the game. Coming back in, everybody’s been pretty dialed, so it’s just been a good time to be around.”
Everett generated just two hits in Tuesday’s 2-1 loss, but smacked six on Wednesday with no hit bigger than Eike’s go-ahead blast. After spending much of the first half rotating in at the bottom of the lineup, Eike has progressed into an every-day, top offensive option for Everett.
“At the plate, I think he’s committed to his plan, and it shows,” AquaSox manager Zach Vincej said. “There’s times where earlier in the year, he looked in between pitches, but he’s been committing to a lot of his plan.”
Eike’s long ball was his sixth of the season, but his four in the second half have him tied for the team lead. In the last 30 days, Eike’s .267 average leads the team and his .844 OPS ranks second behind Freuddy Batista.
After slashing .205/.277/.295 in the first half, Eike has improved those totals to .247/.326/.471 so far in the second half. The former 13th-round pick believes that honing his routine has helped his numbers improve.
“Just pregame, just kind of dialing in what I need to do to get ready to play,” Eike said. “Kind of figuring things out.”
It’s been a month since Everett won the first-half title and promoted their top two bats in Lazaro Montes and Michael Arroyo. Since then, the AquaSox offense has largely struggled to replace what they provided. The coaching staff repeatedly expressed patience, believing the players they had in the clubhouse would rise to the occasion.
Batting third as the designated hitter on Wednesday, Eike rose to that occasion, delivering exactly as one would expect for a player in that spot. For Vincej, the decision to move Eike up in the order didn’t come from any standout play or an “a-ha” moment — it’s been building over time.
“I think it’s just collective at bats,” Vincej said. “Over time, you see what he’s doing — the pitches that he’s swinging at, what types of swings that he’s making, how hard is he hitting the ball — and he was checking all the boxes. So for the last month or so, he’s been outstanding and he’s moving in the right direction.”
Meanwhile, for Eike, it boils down to something much simpler.
“You get what you give, you know?” Eike said. “If you’re playing hot, I mean, you expect to be in the top of the order.”
The first 11 batters between both sides were retired to start the game, and it took Tai Peete blasting Pacheco’s glove off his hand with a ‘comebacker’ to get the first hit of the game.
Spokane responded with back-to-back hits in the top of the third, and the runners advanced to second and third following a passed ball. Indians leadoff hitter Tevin Tucker flew out to Curtis Washington Jr. in left field.
Jesus Bugarin tagged up from third, and Washington Jr.’s throw home made it in plenty of time, but Bugarin managed to sidestep Everett catcher Josh Caron to evade the tag and reach home to make it 1-0.
Washington Jr. helped make things up in the bottom of the frame, working a walk then getting to third via a wild pitch and a balk, which set up Charlie Pagliarini for a tying sacrifice fly.
After Eike led off the fourth with his go-ahead home run, the AquaSox padded their lead when Peete stole second later in the frame. The Indians’ throw to second rolled into the outfield, allowing Luis Suisbel to score from third to make it 3-1.
The Indians put two runners on with back-to-back singles to start off the fifth, but Hawks got Bugarin to ground into a double play before striking out Ben McCabe to end the frame. He spun around and flexed his arms downward following the punch out.
“That was big for the momentum, get the boys back in there,” Hawks said. “Keep swinging it.”
Colt Emerson pushed it to 4-1 in the seventh by legging out an RBI single, fouling off three pitches before grounding one deep to Tucker at shortstop and reaching first in time for Anthony Donofrio to score.
Once Hawks’ night was done on the mound, AquaSox relievers Jose Geraldo and Hunter Cranton combined for no hits, one walk and three strikeouts across the eighth and ninth inning to secure the win.
“They’ve been awesome,” Vincej said of the pitching staff. “They’ve been filling up the zone, getting ahead of guys, you know, getting that weak contact, and then being able to punch guys. … They’re competitive right now, and they’re attacking the hitters, and that’s all you can ask for.”
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