AquaSox Return to Everett Searching for Their Lost Bats!

Posted on : July 19, 2018 By
AquaSox Return to Everett Searching for Their Lost Bats!
2018 AquaSox Brian Solack 

The Everett AquaSox returned home on July 11th for an 8-game home-stand. The Frogs were coming off a 3-game sweep by the Tri-City Dust Devils, the result was the Frogs losing first place in the process. They were outscored 13-1 as their losing streak was now 5 games. Everett was wondering if they lost their bats somewhere over Snoqualmie Pass perhaps as the began a 5-game series with the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes.

Under the blue skies of Memorial Stadium in Everett, the Frogs turned to Tacoma Rainier pitcher Rob Whalen (who was on a minor-league rehab start) to stop the bleeding. He failed to produce as he lasted 2 2/3rd innings as he gave up 4-runs. Would they Frogs find their bats and counter the attack? The Volcanoes would get a little wild and sloppy as the Frogs scored an early 1-run but on no hits. But they had scored! In the bottom of the 2nd, they would tie it up at 2, but only produced 1-hit. The bats were still dormant.

The third inning saw the Volcanoes score 2 more runs. In the bottom half, the bats finally came alive!! The Frogs scored 3 runs on 3 hits. The highlight was a 2-run home-run by Josh Stowers as things started to look good on the horizon. After that it was lights out for Salem. The AquaSox bullpen shut down the Volcanoes over the final 6 1/3 innings. They struck out 10 and gave up 1-hit and zero runs. Everett would secure 5 more hits and 2 runs to take the opener 7-4. Connor Hoover would belt a home run as part of the scoring. Game one went to the Frogs!

Game two the AquaSox had always reliable lefty Max Roberts on the mound. He had a decent start but ended up the loss as the Frogs fell 3-1. They managed to somehow get 8-hits, but none produced except a rbi single by Ryan Garcia. Ryan was the only Frog to get 2 hits. It started to feel like last night’s win might have been a fluke. They couldn’t score and getting 8-hits wasn’t that great if they couldn’t plate a run. They hoped going into Friday the 13th that luck would be in their favor.

Friday the 13th brought the fans a fun-themed “Halloween Night” and a throwback Everett Giants cap to the first 700 fans. Would Friday the 13th bring them good luck? It didn’t start out promising as starting pitcher Carlos Hernandez of the Frogs would struggle in the first. He gave up on run but he struck luck as he worked his way out of it. He ended up going six innings and gave up 2-hits and 1-run. Carlos walked a batter and struck out 7 which classified as a quality start by the right-hander. Everett would continue to have dormant bats as they only managed 5 hits, 2 by OF Charlie McConnell. 1B Ryan Garcia would go yard. The final score in the end was Frogs 3 Volcanoes 1 as they hopped back into a 1st place tie again. The stars of the night were the pitching staff as Carlos secured his 2nd victory of the season and the bullpen. Closer Joey Gerber would pick up his 5th save of the young season.

Saturday night lights would include the always popular free television giveaway to the AquaSox, one every innings. The stands were filled as the always Mr. Reliable Orlando Razo took the mound and he didn’t disappoint one bit. Salem would plate 1-run over 5 hits to take a 1-0 lead as Frog pitching would continue to get no run support. That changed entering the bottom half of the 4th inning. Everett would score 3-runs on to take a 3-1 lead. Razo would pitch two more solid innings for the Frogs as he would leave after 6 innings giving up 1-run on 6 hits. Fans were wondering if he would be finally rewarded with his first victory of the season? The game would remain 3-1 as they went to the bottom of the 7th. Everett would score 4 more runs to take a 7-1 lead. Second baseman Ryne Ogren would single home 2-runs to highlight the inning. Each team would plate one-run in the 8th inning but the final score was 8-2 Frogs!! Orlando Razo was rewarded with the victory and the team pounded out a rare 14 hits. Everett remained in a tie for first with Vancouver.

The final game of the series was under the hot Sunday skies of beautiful Everett, Washington. The AquaSox starting pitcher was Jheyson Carabello. In perhaps his worst outing of the season he lasted only two innings and gave up 4-runs. The bullpen took over as they stopped the bleeding in the 3rd inning as Salem took a 4-0 lead going into the bottom half of the 3rd. The Frogs bats would start chirping as they cut the lead to 4-3 as Charley McConnell hit a solo home-run and 1b Ryan Garcia belted a 2-run bomb. As the temperature continued to rise, so did the Frogs. In the 4th inning, Everett would score 2 runs on 4 hits on RBI singles by Ryan Ramiz and Josh Stowers. The Frogs would maintain their one-run lead until the 6th inning where the Volcanoes would tie it up. In the 7th inning they would go up 6-5. In the bottom half, new 1b Nick Rodriguez would belt a 2-run home run as the Frogs took a 7-6 lead. The lead would hold up as the Frogs took the series 4 games to 1. Their record was 16-14 as they stood in 1st place going into a 3-game series versus Spokane.

Game one was on Monday night against the Indians of Spokane. The weather was hot and so were the AquaSox as they were looking for their 4th straight victory. Pitchers Michael Plassmeyer and Ivan Fortunato pitched the first 5-innings allowing only one run for the Frogs. In the bottom of the 2nd, center-fielder Josh Stowers hit a solo home-run. Connor Hoover and Conner Kopach would drive in the other two runs. In the 4th, outfielder Charlie McConnell would hit a solo shot as the Frogs went up 4-1. In the sixth, Salem-Kizer would cut it to 4-2. Everett would plate two more runs on a 2-run double by Josh Stowers. The Frogs would score another run in the 7TH inning to take 7-2 lead. The Volcanoes would cut the lead to 7-4 the next inning but closer Joey Gerber would come in to secure his 6th save. Everett would win game one and would take a 2-game lead in their division.

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Game two we saw Max Roberts taking the mound. He would last 4-innings and would give up 2 early runs and strike out 7 Indians. Frogs CF Josh Stowers would belt his 4th home-run to cut the lead to a run. The game would turn into a pitcher’s duel as the score was 2-1 going into the bottom of the 6th. Spokane’s starting pitcher Jake Latz, who ended up throwing an impressive 7 innings, would allow two more runs on some rare wildness. Over the next two-innings, the Frogs bullpen fell apart and allowed Spokane to score 4 runs. The final score would be 6-3 as the Frogs lead decreased to one game.

Game 3 and the finale of the series was a rare day game. The Frogs were celebrating “Kids Day” as the stands were filled to the brim. Carlos Hernandez took the mound. He would go six innings and give up only 1 run on 2 hits. The fans got to see the debut of Mariners 3rd round pick, catcher Cal Raleigh who didn’t disappoint. He would go 2-4 driving in two runs. In the 4th inning, Jansiel Rivera would tie it up at one. In the 5th, Cal would secure his 1st pro hit and rbi as the Frogs took a 2-1 lead. Both teams would plate a run as the Frogs lead 3-2 after 7 innings. Spokane would proceed to score 5 more runs over the final two innings as they took the finale 7-3.

Everett finished off a successful home-stand with a 5-3 record. They currently hold a 1-game lead in first place as they go on an important 5 game road trip versus Boise before returning home to play Vancouver in a short 3-game home-stand. Come on out July 24th for the always popular “Bark in the Park”. Their trip to Boise is an important one as they look to finish the first half of the season and qualify for the playoffs. Please come out and support not only some athletes but a great group of kids battling for a championship for Everett as they climb the ladder in the Mariner’s Farm system. Hope too to see many new fans next week.

 

Let’s go AquaSox!!

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Brian joined the SSU in 2017 and covers the Everett AquaSox. I'm a graduate of Washington State University and I'm a die-hard baseball fan.