Noelvi Marte’s homer lifts AquaSox past Indians

From staff reports

Everett’s Noelvi Marte turned the game around with one timely swing.

The Seattle Mariners’ heralded prospect hit a three-run homer in the fifth inning to give the AquaSox a sudden lead, and Everett blanked the Indians for the final five innings in a 5-4 Northwest League win Saturday night at Avista Stadium.

Spokane (0-2 second half) led 4-2 entering the fifth inning, but Everett’s Justin Lavey led off with a single and Cole Barr reached on a one-out walk. After a pop out, Marte smacked a 0-1 pitch over the wall in center field to put the AquaSox (2-0) in front 5-4.

Spokane had a chance to knot the score in the bottom half, but Eddy Diaz was thrown out at home on Drew Romo’s grounder to first base.

The Indians nearly sent the game into extra innings with a ninth-inning rally, but the comeback fell short. Braiden Ward singled with two outs and stole second base. After Diaz walked, a wild pitch advanced the runners to second and third. Isaiah Campbell induced a fly out by Zac Veen, however, for the game’s final out.

Ward, Veen, Grant Lavigne, Julio Carreras and Nic Kent each had two hits for the Indians, who finished with 13 hits but left eight runners on base

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