SPOKANE – Ian Gac is killing his hometown team.
The Edmonds-Woodway High School graduate slammed the Everett AquaSox for the second night in a row, leading the Spokane Indians to an 11-5 victory Friday night in Northwest League play.
Gac slugged two home runs, including the go-ahead grand slam in the bottom of the fifth inning. That came one night after he smacked a three-run homer to help down the AquaSox on Thursday.
Jonathan Greene also homered as Spokane (17-20) made it three-for-three so far in the five-game series.
Gregory Halman went 3-for-5 with a homer and Welington Dotel also homered for Everett (14-24), which has won just twice in its last 13 games.
Everett was cruising along until Gac and the Indians struck in the fifth. Going into the inning the Sox led 3-0 and starting pitcher Rob Harmon was dominating, striking out seven in the first four innings.
But it all fell apart quickly. It began when, on a potential double-play grounder, shortstop Ogui Diaz dropped the feed at second, allowing Davis Stoneburner to score from third. Tim Smith then singled to left to make it 3-2. An intentional walk following a sacrifice bunt then set the stage for Gac, who blasted a shot out to center, and just like that the Indians led 6-3.
The Sox were within 7-5 in the seventh when Greene and Gac opened the inning with back-to-back homers. The Indians scored again later in the inning and added another in the eighth to end any doubt of the outcome.
Gac is now tied for the league lead in homers with eight.
Jordan Stewart earned the win in relief for Spokane, improving to 2-2 despite giving up two runs in 12/3 innings. Ryan Falcon earned the save with 22/3 scoreless frames, his first of the season.
Harmon took the loss to fall to 1-5. In 42/3 innings he gave up six runs – just one earned – on six hits and two walks to go along with his seven punchouts.
Everett grabbed the lead right off the bat in the top of the first, Dotel singling to center and Halman following by doubling off the right-field wall, giving the Sox a 1-0 lead.
The Sox doubled their lead in the third when Dotel launched a solo home run to left, his first for Everett, giving the Sox a 2-0 advantage.
Everett scored again in the fifth, Halman going the opposite way and lifting a solo homer over the short fence in right, making it 3-0 with his team-leading seventh homer of the season.
But from there it was all Spokane, with Gac leading the way.
Everett designated hitter Craig Hurba was ejected from the game in the top of the fourth for arguing after an unusual play. Joe Dunigan’s liner to left was caught by a diving Victor Barrios. Hurba was called out on appeal for not retouching second base when retreating to tag up at first.
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