Indians rally, keep playoff hopes alive

EVERETT – The Spokane Indians pushed back when their backs were against the wall.

A little help from the Everett AquaSox didn’t hurt.

Marcus Greene and Jordan Akins homered and the Indians scored twice on an infield error in the seventh inning Saturday night during a crucial 6-3 Northwest League comeback win at Everett Memorial Stadium.

The Indians, trailing 2-0 after five innings, needed the win to avoid facing a no-room-for-error situation during the final two games of the regular season.

Spokane kept pace with Vancouver with a 38-36 overall record as the Canadians topped host Tri-City 4-2.

The Indians (18-18 second half) have two ways to qualify for postseason. First, they can close the season with two wins over first-half champion Everett (19-17) and win the North Division second-half title. Second, if Everett wins the second-half title, the Indians can qualify by having the next-best overall record. Spokane must have a better mark than Vancouver because the Canadians hold the tiebreaker in case of a tie.

Greene’s one-out solo homer to left field in the sixth cut Everett’s lead to 2-1.

Spokane took a 3-2 lead in the seventh on Everett shortstop Jack Reinheimer’s bases-loaded throwing error that scored Jamie Jarmon and Gabe Roa.

Akins’ two-run homer to left in the eighth extended the lead to 5-2.

Everett’s Phillips Castillo hit a solo homer in the eighth, but the Indians answered with Janluis Castro’s RBI single in the ninth.