Spokane Indians bullpen blows up in 6-5 road loss to Everett
EVERETT – GJ Hill homered for the third game in a row – but the Spokane Indians bullpen rendered his effort moot.
The Everett AquaSox scored on a hit-by-pitch in the 10th inning and beat the Indians 6-5 in the opener of a six-game Northwest League series at Funko Field on Monday.
The first-half champion Indians (38-23) lead Vancouver by 31/2 games with five to play for the second-half title. The Canadians (34-26) have a three-game lead over Hillsboro for the second-half playoff spot.
After the bullpen allowed two runs in the eighth and two more in the ninth to tie it, the Indians went down in order in the 10th, stranding their automatic runner at second. Everett (29-31) loaded the bases with one out in the bottom half, then Spokane pitcher Davison Palermo hit Bill Knight to force in the winning run.
It was all Indians early.
Leading 1-0 after one, the Indians added to the lead in the second with help from a fortuitous bounce. With one on and two down, Jean Perez struck out – but the ball got past catcher Freuddy Batista, and Perez raced down to first base on the wild pitch.
Hill capitalized on the mistake, launching the next pitch from Shaddon Peavyhouse to right center field for a 4-0 lead.
Hill, who went 2 for 5 with three three-run homer, is hitting .286 with 13 home runs, 24 RBIs and 10 stolen bases in 45 games since his promotion to High-A on June 19.
With the Indians up 4-1 in the eighth, Cole Emerson’s double with two down off Cade Denton put runners on second and third, then Caleb Cali’s ground ball got through the middle to score both runners to make it 4-3.
The Indians added an insurance run in the ninth, but reliever Luis Amoroso gave up a hit and a walk to the first two batters in the bottom half. A throwing error by Cole Messina on a back-pick allowed both runners to move up, then an RBI single by Batista made it a one-run game with no outs and runners on the corners. Amoroso got two outs, but Emerson bounced a single up the middle – his third of the game – to plate the tying run.
Indians starter Victor Juarez went 51/3 innings and allowed one run on five hits and a walk with five strikeouts.
The series continues Wednesday at 7:05 p.m.