EVERETT — With disaster on the doorstep, the AquaSox received enough contributions to pull out a victory on Friday.
Trent Tingelstad thumped a pair of RBI doubles, Cesar Izturis Jr. added two RBI singles and Travis Kuhn saved the day on the mound by recording two key outs with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth in the AquaSox’s 5-4 win over the Tri-City Dust Devils to open a three-game series at Funko Field.
“I think the best part of the night just shows the resiliency of our team,” said Louis Boyd, who picked up his first home win at Funko Field after being named the team’s manager on Tuesday. “The pitchers trust the guys to come in (from) the bullpen, the infield, usually does a good job, but made a few mistakes — that’s just baseball, and our offense just continues to swing it. They’re playing free on the field, they’re trusting the people behind us and they’re putting good swings on the baseball.”
The AquaSox (3-1) are in sole possession of first place in the Northwest League north second half standings after Spokane fell to Vancouver on Friday.
Spotted with a two-run lead, things were tenuous after AquaSox reliever Brock Minich walked the first two batters of the ninth inning and Izturis booted a ball at second base to load the bases.
Tre Carter plated a run with a fly ball down the left-field line that was dropped by Cade Marlowe, which allowed Matthew Acosta to score. A second runner, Kelvin Melean, was sent home, but was thrown out on the relay home by Luis Joseph.
That out would prove crucial, as Travis Kuhn struck out Jonny Hozma and induced a game-inning groundout from Jack Stronach.
The AquaSox did all of their damage at the plate late in the game with two strikes.
After Carter Bins poked a two-out single to right in the bottom of the seventh, Izturis dumped a single into center field to plate the game-winning run from second.
Izturis, who went 2-for-4 with two RBI, entered Friday hitting well at the plate, posting a .333 average with six RBI over his last 10 games.
“I think what’s really impressed me is how much he’s improved on both sides of the plate,” Boyd said of the switch-hitting Izturis. “I’ve always loved his lefty swing, super smooth, and he’s worked a bunch on his right-handed swing. Now, he’s in the middle of our lineup, even when a lefty is on the mound and he’s doing a great job executing and putting good swings on the ball.”
Tingelstad drove in Patrick Frick after the infielder’s two-out single with a line-drive double off the scoreboard in right-center field to add an insurance run.
It was Tingelstad’s seventh multi-RBI game of the season and first game with two or more extra-base hits.
“He’s really getting in a controlled position at the plate,” Boyd said. “A little earlier — I wasn’t here, but (hitting coach Joe) Thurston was telling me he was getting a little jumpy, a little on the front side. He’s done a really good job of staying relaxed, getting down in a controlled position and his swing works great when he’s in that spot.”
Tim Elliott (1-3) earned his first professional win after allowing one run on two hits over 2.2 innings. Kuhn picked up his third save after his clean 0.2 innings.
Tri-City reliever Ramon Perez (1-2) was handed the loss.
The AquaSox jumped out to a 2-0 lead after a pair of RBI singles from Marlowe and Izturis in the first.
Tingelstad dumped an RBI double in the second into the left field corner to put Everett up three.
Tri-City eventually tied the game, starting with Stronach’s RBI single in the fourth, then with Melean’s sacrifice fly to center field in the fifth. Joseph’s fielding error allowed Jordy Barley to score after his two-out triple in the seventh.
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