Opponent: Yakima Bears When: 7:05 p.m. Where: Everett Memorial Stadium Radio: KRKO (1380 AM) Probable starting pitchers: Everett right-hander Chris Kirkland (0-0, 3.94 earned run average) vs. Yakima right-hander Chris Odegaard (0-2, 4.20)
In a comfortable spot
Everett AquaSox left fielder Ryan Royster was moved into the leadoff spot at the beginning of the current five-game series against the Yakima Bears, a place where he feels right at home.
"I was a leadoff batter pretty much my whole life and in college, so that's what I did to get here," Royster said. "Whatever role they have me at I feel I can adjust and do what the team needs me to do in that role."
Royster spent the first two weeks of the season primarily in the No. 2 slot, with shortstop Anthony Phillips occupying the leadoff spot.
But Royster was putting up on-base numbers too good to ignore (a .456 on-base percentage going into Tuesday night's game), prompting Everett manager John Tamargo to switch Royster to the top spot.
And Royster has justified the move. After going 0-for-4 in his first game in the leadoff spot, he's reached base in seven of his past 10 plate appearances, scoring four runs in the process.
"He's been really working the count and starting to get his swing together, so I thought I'd try him at the leadoff spot and see if he could get on base, and he's done that," Tamargo said. "Since we put him there he's really been selective at the plate and gotten some big hits for us."
Sams update
The results are in from the tests on Everett outfielder Kalian Sams' injured wrist. The diagnosis? Needs more tests.
Sams, who hasn't played since Everett's fourth game of the season because of a sore wrist, underwent an MRI on Monday. Analysis on the results recommended a CT scan to provide more information.
"There's no ligament or tendon tear indicated from the MRI, but there may be something going on with the hamate (bone)," Everett trainer Spyder Webb said. "Hopefully the CT scan will give us a definitive answer about what's going on."
Sams, who was serving as Everett's cleanup hitter at the beginning of the season, hit three home runs in four games before suffering the injury while taking a swing.
Short hops
Everett catcher/designated hitter Juan Fuentes is on fire. After going a combined 7-for-9 on Sunday and Monday he was batting .390, which tied him for second in the Northwest League. ... Sox second baseman Hawkins Gebbers had his 10-game hitting streak snapped Monday when he went 0-for-3. He was among those tied with Fuentes for second in the league in batting at .390. ... It was a short stay in Visalia for Yakima catcher Jorge Corniel. After being promoted to the high Class A California League on Sunday morning to help cover for injuries, he was back with the Bears on Tuesday.
