Indians Fall Again To Everett Bubela Knocks In The Winner For Aquasox With 2 Out In The 10Th Inning
The Everett AquaSox have become the Spokane Indians’ Northwest League nemesis of late.
In seven meetings between the teams this season, Everett has won five, and four have been decided on the AquaSox’s final at-bat.
On Sunday, it was Jaime Bubela’s run-scoring single in the 10th inning that gave Everett a 6-5 victory before 4,887 at Avista Stadium.
Bubela’s hit came with two outs and brought home Corey Freeman from third. Freeman singled, then stole second and third.
The AquaSox (24-22) won 2 of 3 when the teams played here last week. The second game in the three-game series is at 7:05 tonight.
Spokane reliever Jason Fingers gave up three singles in the ninth as the AquaSox tied the game on Matt Kent’s single that scored Bubela.
It seemed Spokane outfielder Jermaine Smiley would be the hero in his best hitting performance of the season. Smiley smacked a two-run double with two outs in the seventh that put the Indians up 5-4. He also tripled to left in the sixth but was caught in a pickoff between third and home. Smiley had three runs batted in. Before Sunday, he had two extra-base hits all season and six RBIs.
“It’s been kind of tough all year,” Smiley said. “I saw the ball well tonight and I found myself getting my rhythm down. It felt good, and hopefully it will continue the rest of the season.”
The AquaSox scored two unearned runs in the sixth, as well as an earned run by Miguel Richardson. Richardson was on first after a walk when Brian Hertel bunted and catcher Hersy Felix’s throw to first got past Abel Martinez and hit the first-base line fence.
The Indians (24-22) left runners on second and third in the sixth.
Spokane starter Ian Ferguson entered Sunday’s outing tied for the league lead in losses with five, but was strong early. The 6-foot-4 right-hander struck out five of Everett’s first seven batters and retired nine of the first 10. He threw three hitless innings and the only Everett player to reach base was Miguel Richardson on a wild pitch while striking out swinging in the second.
Ferguson gave up a leadoff single to Bubela in the fourth, then loaded the bases with one out on a walk and a hit batter before striking out Brian Hertel and a ground out by designated hitter Brett Higgins to escape the inning.
Spokane scored a single run in the first on Chad Santos’ run-scoring double off the right-field wall. Santos also doubled in the fifth.
Notes
Pitchers tonight are Spokane right-hander Joey Baker (2-2, 4.98 ERA) against Everett lefty Tony DeJesus (2-5, 4.26)… . Spokane infielder Juan Guzman has been called up to Class A long-season Charleston (W. Va.) and will leave this morning. “It’s another great opportunity,” said Guzman, 20, out of Santiago, Dominican Republic… . Rollie Fingers, one of two relief pitchers in the Hall of Fame after playing for the A’s, Padres and Brewers, is in town for two days to watch his son, Spokane Indians right-hander Jason Fingers.