Everett AquaSox Take Over First Place in Northwest League on the Strength of Two Shutouts

The Everett AquaSox pitching staff, which has had a difficult season, put together one of its best stretches in the week leading up to July 3, 2023, and the result was first place in the Northwest League's second-half standings.

Everett played five games last week, all at home against the Eugene Emeralds, and won four of them. The sixth and final game of the series was scheduled for Monday night. Across the five games the AquaSox allowed only 15 runs, including a 1-0 win on Thursday and a 5-0 victory on Sunday.

The run is a departure from the norm for Everett. The team is giving up 5.35 runs per game this season, and it had recorded just one shutout in 69 games before last week. The two wins improved Everett to 6-2 in the second half and 40-34 overall, putting the club half a game ahead of Vancouver.

Thursday's shutout was a two-hitter combined from Bernie Martinez, Raul Alcantara, Sam Carlson and Logan Rinehart, and only one Eugene baserunner got as far as third base. Alcantara, who was originally scheduled to start, arrived late to Funko Field because his car ran out of gas. Martinez opened the game and pitched one inning to give Alcantara time to warm up. Alcantara then threw six hitless innings, walking four and striking out seven.

Manager Ryan Scott said the key for Alcantara is limiting walks. "He still walked four guys, but he was able to spread them out and not load up on walks in one inning," Scott said. He added that the pitcher's stuff is good enough to produce outs when he stays around the strike zone.

On Sunday, Jimmy Joyce, Jordan Jackson, Jarod Bayless and Rinehart combined on a four-hitter, and again only one Emerald reached third base. Joyce, who was making his fifth start since returning from a forearm strain that delayed his season, struck out 10 over five innings while allowing three hits and a walk. Scott called him a "bulldog" on the mound.

Alberto Rodriguez, a 22-year-old right fielder from the Dominican Republic, was named the league's Hitter of the Week after batting .500 with six runs, a home run and six RBI. Seven of his 10 hits went for extra bases, giving him a 1.050 slugging percentage for the week. Ranked No. 26 among Seattle Mariners prospects by MLB.com, he is hitting .305 with 11 homers and 49 RBI this season, and his .973 OPS is third in the league among qualifiers.

Alcantara, a 22-year-old left-hander also from the Dominican Republic, took Pitcher of the Week honors over Joyce, edging him by not allowing a hit and pitching one more inning. He carries an 8.40 ERA in 54.2 innings this season, largely because of control problems, though he has 67 strikeouts in that span.

Everett has no days off this week and travels to Spokane for a six-game series starting Tuesday. The league then pauses for four days for the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. Spokane, a Colorado Rockies affiliate, is 4-5 in the second half and 37-37 overall, third in the league and 2.5 games behind Everett. The Sox are 5-7 against Spokane this season.

Spokane leads the league at 6.18 runs per game, powered by outfielder Jordan Beck and first baseman Zach Kokoska, though outfielder Yanquiel Fernandez was recently promoted to Double-A and shortstop Adael Amador has been on the injured list since June 23. The Spokane pitching staff is allowing a league-worst 6.07 runs per game, with left-hander Carson Palmquist (4-1, 3.80 ERA) a bright spot.