Resilient AquaSox rally to win in the 10th

EVERETT — Two games against the Spokane Indians. Two extra-inning wins for the Everett AquaSox.

Everett followed up its 13-inning victory on Wednesday with a 7-6 comeback win over the Indians in 10 innings on Thursday.

“They are very resilient the last couple of nights,” AquaSox manager Rob Mummau said of his players. “They just keep battling every time out there and I’m very proud of these guys.”

The AquaSox rallied for two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to tie the score at six and won it in the bottom of the 10th when second baseman Ketel Marte scored from first on a fly ball by Jamodrick McGruder. McGruder’s hit created a long run for Spokane left fielder Barrett Serrato and the ball hit off the edge of his glove. Serrato was given an error on the play, but Mummau thought otherwise.

“I thought it was a hit,” Mummau said. “That’s a long way to run for the left fielder. They are playing no doubles, so he was back close to the warning track. It wasn’t routine for me, so yeah, I thought it was a hit.”

The top of the fifth inning could have spelled doom for the AquaSox. After a groundout to start the inning, second baseman Cam Schiller reached base on an infield hit, narrowly beating out a throw by AquaSox shortstop Chris Taylor. Then the Indians put on the hit-and-run and executed it to perfection. Spokane shortstop Gabriel Roa singled to right field and Schiller, who was running on the pitch advanced to third.

Catcher Guy Edmonds struck out for the second out of the inning, but Everett didn’t come anywhere close to escaping unscathed.

Third baseman Smerling Lantigua doubled off the left-field wall, scoring Schiller and Roa. Center fielder Chris Garia singled to right field to score Lantigua. Designated hitter Nick Urbanus continued the hit parade with a double to left-center field. Urbanus slid under the tag of Marte to keep the inning alive. Urbanus’ slide proved important as the next batter, right fielder Preston Beck singled, scoring Garia and Urbanus.

Down 5-0 the AquaSox didn’t panic. They simply chipped away at the Indians’ lead.

The Frogs scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning and two in the bottom of the seventh to cut the deficit to 5-4.

The Indians added a run in the top of the eighth inning to take a 6-4 lead. All six Spokane runs were scored with two outs. That didn’t worry Mummau.

“It’s one game,” he said. “It’s just one of those things in baseball, we have 76 games in a season and those things are going to happen.

Everett responded in the bottom of the ninth.

With one out, Taylor walked and Ard, who finished the game 3-for-5 with two RBI, followed that up with a RBI double to right field to cut Spokane’s lead to 6-5. Janelfry Zorrilla pinch ran for Ard and scored moments later on a throwing error by relief pitcher Cody Kendall following a single by Everett catcher David Villasuso.

That set the stage for Everett’s second straight extra-innings’ victory.

“I think it says a lot about our character,” Mummau said. “I think it says a lot about our focus and intensity. These guys are resilient and I expect that the rest of the season.”

Aaron Lommers covers sports for The Herald. Follow him on twitter @aaronlommers and contact him at alommers@heraldnet.com