Willie MacIver homers, throws out runner late to help Spokane Indians beat Everett third-straight night

Fans of the Seattle Mariners are getting their fill of high-level prospects coming through Spokane this week as the Everett AquaSox, the M’s High-A West affiliate, are in town to face the Indians.

It’s not so much a conflict of home team versus favorite MLB team, but a best-of-both-worlds scenario.

On Thursday, Spokane-area Mariners fans were treated to their first glimpse at Emerson Hancock, the Mariners’ 2020 first-round pick (sixth overall), and their No. 3 prospect.

He didn’t disappoint.

Lefty Nick Bush countered for the Indians and was just as good, except for one mistake.

As is the case often in minor league baseball, the issue was settled after both starters left the game.

Willie MacIver homered in the seventh to tie the game, then the Indians scored in the eighth without a base hit and beat the AquaSox 3-2 in the third of a six-game series at Avista Stadium.

It was the Indians (5-10) third win in a row against the first-place AquaSox (10-5). 

“It feels great,” Indians manager Scott Little said. “I don’t think in the 10 games we played prior to that there was one time we went out and quit or felt like we were defeated. I think we’ve scratched and clawed.”

Bush felt like the team was on the verge of a breakout.

“I told ‘em, we’re gonna get hot eventually – it’s gonna come,” he said. “And it’s here. We’re playing good baseball.”

Indians shortstop Eddy Diaz was hit by a pitch leading off the bottom of the eighth, and Niko Decolati bunted him over. A wild pitch by Brendan McGuigan moved Diaz to third and with two down another wild pitch – which never left the batter’s box – allowed him to scramble home.

“(Diaz) was able to be aggressive because they were playing way over on (left-handed batter Michael) Toglia, so he had a big lead,” Little said. 

Seattle Mariners top prospect Julio Rodriguez, the No. 3 prospect in baseball according to MLB.com, led off the ninth with a single against Indians reliever Boby Johnson. Kaden Polcovich followed with a double, bringing out a visit from pitching coach Ryan Kibler.

During the next plate appearance, Rodriguez got too big of a secondary lead at third and MacIver picked him off. Johnson then picked up pair of strikeouts to earn the save.

“In my mind, runners at second and third nobody out, we had to make a play,” MacIver said. “We had to make something happen if we could.”

Little was impressed with his catcher.

“It was a huge play,” he said. “Biggest play of the game. Willie had an awesome game. Threw two guys out, called a great game. He just changed the whole game.

“Everybody lit up and we were ready to go.”

“Whatever it takes to get the win, man,” MacIver said. 

It was the second time in the game Rodriguez was picked off by the Indians. With one down in the first, Rodriguez lined a hard single to center off Bush, but the lefty caught him leaning two pitches later and picked him off.

In a first battle of first-round picks, Hancock froze Toglia with a hard sinker on the outside corner to end the first inning and strand a runner at third.

The pitchers traded zeros until the top of the fourth. With two down and a runner at first, Everett DH Jack Larsen drilled a fastball off the scoreboard in right-center for his third homer of the season and a 2-0 lead.

“It was a little bit down,” Bush said of the home run pitch. “He honestly went down and put a pretty good swing on it.”

The Indians got on the board in the bottom half. Decolati led off with a walk, stole second, moved to third on a throwing error by the catcher and scored on a liner to left by Toglia that was run down in the alley.

Bush was done after four. He allowed two earned runs on four hits and a walk with five strikeouts, and threw 46 of his 76 pitches for strikes.

“I think if you talk to Bush he’ll tell you he didn’t pitch his best game, by far,” Little said. “But he was still really good and he’s a really competitive kid.

“He gave us four innings and he gave us a chance to win.”

“I felt good,” Bush said. “I didn’t have my best stuff but you’re going to have those days where you don’t have your best stuff and you have to go out and compete.”

Hancock got two easy outs in the fifth, including his fourth strikeout of the night. Johnny Cresto lined a single to center, though, and AquaSox manager Louis Boyd called for a reliever.

Indians outfielder Cade Harris flied out against Evan Johnson to end the inning.

Hancock went 4⅔ innings and allowed one unearned run on one hit and one walk with four strikeouts. He threw 67 pitches, 42 for strikes.

MacIver’s homer in the seventh tied it and extended his hitting streak to five games, with homers in three of them.

Little called MacIver’s homer “icing on the cake.”

Bush concurred.

“You don’t see it too many times where a catcher throws three guys out and hits a home run.”