Six-run seventh inning dooms Spokane Indians

EVERETT – Just when it appeared that the Spokane Indians had the Everett AquaSox – and their three-game winning streak – beaten, the seventh inning happened.

Leading 6-2, the Indians allowed six runs in the seventh to drop the second game of a three-game series 8-6 at Everett Memorial Stadium on Friday night.

Everett scored five of those six seventh-inning runs with two outs, as the AquaSox combined an Indians’ throwing error, hit-by-pitch, wild pitch and three walks, with two doubles. One a bases-clearing hit by Connor Hale.

Drew Jackson, who led off the seventh with a home run, finished 3 for 4 with three runs scored for Northwest League North Division-leading Everett (22-14).

The Indians (17-19) were still able to muster up eight hits, despite striking out 16 times.

Trailing 1-0 in the fourth, the Indians used back-to-back doubles by Tyler Sanchez and Sherman Lacrus to knot the score, before adding two more runs in the inning, courtesy of an Everett wild pitch and error.

A fifth-inning wild pitch, and a sixth-inning run-scoring single by Yeyson Yrizarri gave Spokane a promising 6-2 lead that it couldn’t hold.

Spokane starter Peter Fairbanks allowed two runs and struck out two in five innings of work.

He was relieved by Omarlin Lopez (1-2), who pitched a perfect sixth before struggling in the seventh.

Spokane has been eliminated from first-half contention.