Everett, WA--- The Yakima Bears defeated the Everett Aquasox 6-5 Saturday night at Everett Memorial Stadium. The Bears have now won seven straight games and pulled into a tie for first place at 17-15 in the East Division standings in the second half of the Northwest League season.
The Bears took a 5-0 lead over the first five innings, while the starting pitcher Alex Capaul pitched seven shutout innings.
An unearned run was driven in by Carter Bell on a single in the first inning. In the second inning the Bears scored three more runs with RBI-singles from Westley Moss and Jimmy Comerota and a groundout from Garrett Weber that plated a run. Justin Hilt tripled in the fifth inning and scored on a sacrifice fly from Kerry Jenkins.
Capaul faced four or fewer batters in all seven of his innings. He allowed only three hits and no walks, but struggles by the bullpen cost him that chance at a win.
With two outs in the eighth inning the bases were loaded via walks issued by Mike Blake. Victor Acosta came in and gave up back-to-back singles before walking a batter and exiting without recording an out. Justin Albert got out of the inning, but first gave up a two-run single that scored inherited runners and tied the game at 5-5.
The Bears then went to extra innings for the twelfth time in 2011, winning in the eleventh inning. Raul Navarro reached on a walk, advanced to second on a Moss sacrifice bunt, and scored a triple from Danny Pulfer to straight-away centerfield.
Albert stayed on the mound after getting the final out in the eighth inning. The lefty earned his team-leading fifth win by tossing three and a third shutout innings down the stretch.
The Bears try for the five-game series sweep of the Aquasox Sunday afternoon at Everett Memorial Stadium. Game time is scheduled for 4:05. Lefty pitchers John Pedrotty of the Bears and Cameron Hobson of the Aquasox are the probable starters.
