Spokane Indians edged by Everett to complete three-game sweep

EVERETT – Austin Grebeck delivered a two-run single in the sixth inning and the Everett AquaSox held off the Spokane Indians 3-2 to sweep a three-game Northwest League series at Memorial Stadium on Thursday afternoon.

Grebeck’s line drive came with two down and the bases loaded – and deflected off second baseman Cristian Inoa’s glove and into right field – to make it a 2-1 game. Everett picked up a run in the seventh on Greifer Andrade’s RBI single.

The Indians (9-6, 25-28) made it a one-run game in the eighth on Matt Whatley’s RBI single, but couldn’t find the equalizer.

Spokane starter Tai Tiedemann surrendered two runs on five hits and a walk, while striking out five over 5 2/3 innings.

Tiedemann and Everett starter Andres Torres matched zeroes until Kole Enright led of the fifth inning with his second home run of the season to establish a 1-0 lead for Spokane.

Everett (8-7, 24-29) did its damage in the sixth after two were already down. Onil Pena singled and went to second on Troy Dixon’s ground-ball single. Spokane manager Matt Hagan lifted Tiedemann in favor of Josh Advocate, and he promptly walked Aaron Stroosma to load the bases for Grebeck, whose liner just escaped Inoa’s attempt at an inning-ended grab.

The AquaSox added an insurance run in the seventh inning. Eugene Helder reached on a one-out infield single, stole second and went to third when Whatley’s throw down went into center field. Andrade then plated Helder with another infield single.

Whatley made up for the error with his bat, as his sharp single to right field scored Miguel Aparicio for a 3-2 deficit with two down in the eighth inning.

Everett’s Scott Kuzminsky allowed back-to-back singles to Austin O’Banion and Curtis Terry to begin the ninth inning. Kuzminsky then retired three straight Indians batters to end the threat and earn his first save.

The Indians begin a five-game series at the Eugene Emeralds on Friday at 7:05 p.m.