Opening Day: Spokane Indians comeback falls short, Everett powers two homers in 4-3 win

There are certain yearly occurrences that mark the passing of time – birthdays, holidays, anniversaries and so on. For baseball fans, those significant milestones pale in comparison to Opening Day – when hopes are renewed, ballpark “families” reunited, and everyone starts off in first place.

Friday marked the season and home opener for the Spokane Indians, who had lots to celebrate as they kicked off the 135th year of professional baseball in the Inland Northwest.

With significant MLB-mandated renovations to Avista Stadium complete, the 2025 version of the Indians entered play with 15 returning players from last season’s Northwest League champions and six players on the Colorado Rockies top-30 prospects list.

After pregame festivities and introductions, and a KC-135 stratotanker flyover from Fairchild Air Force base during the national anthem, Indians right-handed starter Jordy Vargas fired a 94-mph strike, and they got down to the business of baseball – the first of 132 High-A regular-season games.

The pitchers were ahead of the hitters much of the game, though, and the visitors had the best of what offense there was.

Lazaro Montes and Charlie Pagliarini homered and the Everett AquaSox held off a ninth-inning rally to beat the Indians 4-3.

Indians shortstop Andy Perez went 3 for 4 with two runs and first baseman Aiden Longwell knocked in two on sacrifice flies.

Despite the loss, the team was enthused with the performance and atmosphere at Avista Stadium.

“The crowd was awesome,” Longwell said. “I heard about the good crowds out here in Spokane and they lived up to the hype tonight. They seem to be really into the game and know when to cheer.”

The Indians scored in the ninth to make it a one-run game, but returning outfielder EJ Andrews Jr. struck out swinging with the bases loaded to end the game.

Longwell hit his second run-scoring sacrifice fly earlier in the inning to get the Indians close.

“I was looking for something to get in the air,” Longwell said. “I knew that guy was gonna throw me a fastball eventually, just had to be ready for it and get the barrel to it. Didn’t get a hit out of it but got us a run closer.”

Skyler Messinger and Cole Messina both drew walks to load the bases, but Andrews got behind in the count and whiffed trying to protect the plate.

“I think it’s just opening day, got to get back into the groove of things,” Longwell said. “(Everett) was ready to play, too. But we’re excited to compete every day and get better. We’ll learn from it and come back tomorrow.”

After Vargas registered a 1-2-3 first inning with a pair of strikeouts, the Indians hitters went right to work. Leadoff hitter Caleb Hobson walked, then Perez lined a single to left-center, where Tai Peete whiffed picking it up. Hobson raced around the bases and beat the throw to make it 1-0 after two batters.

Perez stole third and scored on Longwell’s first sacrifice fly, and the Indians led 2-0 after one inning.

Everett outfielder – and Seattle Mariners No. 2 prospect – Lazaro Montes destroyed a Vargas fastball to left-center in the second to make it 2-1. Vargas issued a two-out walk but got No. 8 hitter Brandon Eike to pop out to end the inning – and Vargas’ appearance.

Vargas, the Rockies’ No. 14 prospect who missed all of 2024 recovering from Tommy John surgery, threw 37 pitches, 21 for strikes. He allowed one hit and one walk with two strikeouts.

“I like his stuff,” Indians pitching coach Blaine Beatty said. “He’s got a really good fastball. I like his makeup a lot. He’ll be fun to watch.”

Vargas will be on a strict pitch and inning count early in the season as he builds back up from surgery.

“We’re just gonna keep our thumb on him and try to help him develop and get him through a full season,” Beatty said. “He’s just coming back from arm injury, so we’re just going to be really protective of him going forward.”

Everett rallied in the fourth inning off reliever Isaiah Coupet. Montes walked on four straight pitches, went to second on a wild pitch, and beat the throw home on Josh Caron’s single to right.

Charlie Pagliarini followed with a double down the right-field line to score Caron without a throw to make it 3-2.

Whether it was the cool early-April temperatures or simply good pitching – or a bit of both – neither offense mustered much of an attack the rest of the way.

Everett starter Ryan Hawks and relievers Elijah Dale and Stefan Raeth sat down 15 straight Indians batters in the fourth through eighth innings. Coupet and Davis Palermo allowed just three baserunners in the sixth through eighth – with Palermo striking out five over two innings.

Everett reliever Brock Moore started the ninth inning, but after throwing a wild pitch on ball four to Jared Thomas, he grabbed at his pitching arm and left with a trainer.