Everett rallies in eighth, downs Spokane Indians 8-1

From staff reports

What started as a pitcher’s duel turned into a laugher.

The Everett AquaSox broke a 1-all tie and rallied for seven runs in the eighth inning to beat the Spokane Indians 8-1 in a Northwest League game at Avista Stadium on Thursday.

Everett sent 12 batters to the plate in the eighth, collecting three doubles and benefiting from five walks and two wild pitches by Indians pitchers in the inning.

Connor Staine, a fifth-round pick of the Colorado Rockies in the 2022 draft, made his High-A debut for the Indians. He went four innings and allowed four hits and one earned run, with two walks with two strikeouts.

Everett starter Michael Morales struck out seven over seven innings, allowing one run on two hits and walking four.

The Indians (9-3) took the early lead in the bottom of the first. Leadoff hitter Cole Carrigg hit the first pitch of the game into left field for a double. Dyan Jorge walked and Carrigg stole third before scoring on a groundout.

The AquaSox (3-9) tied it in the third when Victor Labrada hit a one-out double and scored on Josh Hood’s single.

Everett took over in the eighth against Tyler Ahearn (1-1). Hood singled and Bill Knight walked, setting the stage for Ben Williamson, who doubled to center to knock in Hood with the go-ahead run.

Ahearn walked Jared Sundstrom and RJ Schreck doubled to right to drive in two and make it 4-1.

Ahearn, a 25-year-old righty repeating High-A this year, allowed three earned runs on three hits and walked two in one-third of an inning.

Sergio Sanchez took over on the hill, but he walked Gabriel Moncada to load the bases. Freuddy Batista grounded out, but Labrada’s two-run double to center led to a 6-1 edge. Two more runs scored on wild pitches.