Defensive miscues, grand slam in seventh lift Everett AquaSox over Spokane Indians in series finale

What will be remembered about Sunday’s game is the grand slam allowed by Spokane Indians’ reliever Riley Pint in the seventh inning that turned a close game into a laugher.

But things in baseball are rarely as simple as they seem.

Pint, the No. 4 overall pick of the Colorado Rockies in 2016 who has battled arm injuries and control issues for several years, has been solid – if not effectively wild – so far in 2021. But the Indians defense failed to make two routine plays behind him, which extended the inning and forced Pint to get two more outs than necessary.

Austin Shenton went 3 for 5 with the grand slam, two doubles and five RBIs, and the Everett AquaSox beat the Indians 11-6 in the finale of a six-game High-A West series at Avista Stadium.

“The guy pitched great,” manager Scott Little said of Pint. “He had to get five outs. He made one bad pitch, you know? He should have been out of the inning.”

With one down in the seventh, David Sheaffer drew a full-count walk. Connor Hoover bounced one to first, but Michael Toglia tried to get the lead runner and instead hit him in the back on the throw and all hands were safe.

“I’m sure (Toglia) regrets trying to make something happen that wasn’t quite there,” Little said. “It was just not a good angle and hit him right in the back. It’s a great learning experience for him. That’s why we’re here.”

Kaden Polcovich grounded one up the middle that was fielded cleanly by Eddy Diaz, but the shortstop wasn’t sure about getting the force at second or the batter at first – and he got neither.

“(Diaz) should have just taken the out, we’re out of the inning,” Little said. “He looked like he thought he was gonna beat the guy there and then it was too late at first. It was unfortunate.”

Pint then struck out Julio Rodriguez – the No. 3 overall prospect in baseball – looking for the second out of the inning.

That brought up Shenton, who clobbered a center-cut fastball over the batting cage in straight right field.

“It’s a guy, we’ve been working away all series, and we’ve had success working away” catcher Willie MacIver said. “We’re in a situation where we need to throw strikes. I always feel comfortable with Pint’s fastball and it was supposed to be away and he left it a little bit in and that’s where that guy hits the ball well.”

Pint responded with a three-pitch strikeout of Zach DeLoach.

“I’m proud of the way (Pint) responded,” Little said.

The AquaSox took a 2-0 lead in the first off Indians starter David Hill as Shenton delivered an RBI double.

With one down in the bottom half, Aaron Schunk – in his first plate appearance since May 12 out with an arm injury – drew a walk, as did Brenton Doyle, off Everett starter Juan Then.

That brought up MacIver, who continued his hot streak with a long fly to left center that carried out in the breeze for a 3-2 Indians lead. It was MacIver’s fourth home run of the season, all in his last eight games.

“I kept saying, ‘C’mon wind, c’mon wind,’ ” MacIver said.

Everett’s DeLoach tied it in the third with his third homer of the season.

In the bottom half, Schunk ripped a one-out double to right-center and Doyle plated him with a single in the same direction. Doyle stole second and took third on a throwing error before MacIver singled up the middle to plate Doyle.

MacIver finished 2 for 3 with four RBIs.

Hill got through a scoreless fourth and was finished. He allowed three runs, two earned on two hits and four walks with four strikeouts.

Jack Larsen hit a two-run double in the fifth to give Everett a 6-5 lead. Sheaffer singled under LJ Hatch’s glove at third and another run came in.

Spokane made it a one-run game in the sixth on a flyout by Hunter Stovall before the calamity of the seventh.

Then, the Seattle Mariners No. 9 prospect, went 31/3 innings and allowed five runs, four earned, on four hits and two walks. He threw 67 pitches, 37 for strikes.