EUGENE, Ore. — Even on a scheduled night off, rookie shortstop Drew Jackson found a way to make his presence felt as the Everett AquaSox shut out Eugene 7-0 on Thursday night.
Jackson, the Northwest League’s leading hitter, entered the game after second baseman Logan Taylor was ejected by home plate umpire Derek Thomas for arguing called third strike to end the top of the first inning.
Jackson’s single up the middle with the bases loaded in the fifth inning extended his hitting streak to 19 games and plated the AquaSox’s first two runs of the ballgame. He advanced to second with Luis Liberato caught in a rundown, stole third, and scored via a wild pitch for a 3-0 Frogs lead.
The stolen base was Jackson’s 35th successful swipe in 38 chances.
The Aquasox then capitalized on a rough outing and control issues from Eugene reliever Mark Malave in the sixth inning when Braden Bishop (3-for-5, two RBI, two runs scored) smacked a two-run double to left field with the bases loaded for a 5-0 AquaSox lead. After loading the bases for a second time in the inning it was Jackson’s turn again.
He singled in two runs yet again to extend the Frogs lead to seven.
Everett southpaw Nick Wells (1-0) recorded the win with five innings of shutout ball in which he allowed just four baserunners. Wells retired the first 10 Emeralds batters he faced prior to Frandy Delarosa’s single with one out in the fourth inning.
Delarosa was just the second base runner Wells had allowed up to that point in 8 1/3 innings of work as a member of the AquaSox this season.
Wells, 19, was one of three players acquired by the Seattle Mariners in a July 31 trade that sent reliever Mark Lowe to the Toronto Blue Jays. One of the other players involved in that trade was 20-year-old lefty Jacob Brentz, who earned his first save in relief of Wells, striking out four in four innings.
With the win, Everett (9-6) assured itself sole possession of first place in Northwest League North Division standings.
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