Today’s Game
Opponent: Eugene Emeralds
When: 7:05 p.m.
Where: Everett Memorial Stadium
Radio: KRKO (1380 AM)
Probable starters: Everett left-hander Cameron Hobson (1-2, 2.30 ERA) vs. Eugene right-hander Will Scott (2-0, 2.34)
Progress on the road
The AquaSox had a productive six-game road trip through Eugene and Vancouver. Everett won four of six and built a two-game lead in the Northwest League’s West Division second-half standings with two weeks remaining in the season.
“When you go on the road and you’re over .500 you’ll take it every time,” Everett manager Scott Steinmann said. “We had a crazy series in Vancouver. We stole one in the first game and they stole one away from us in the last game. But it all evened out, and to come home with four out of six, I was happy.”
Everett didn’t stick to one method of winning during the road trip. The Sox used excellent pitching to win the first two games of the road trip in Eugene. Then they staged late comebacks to win twice in Vancouver.
“One day it was the hitting, one day it was the pitching, one day it was some good defense and baserunning,” Steinmann said. “I’m glad to see some of these guys are putting a lot of the stuff they’re working on with Mike (Kinkade, Everett’s hitting coach) and Andrew (Lorraine, Everett’s pitching coach) into the game. It’s coming down to the end and I’m glad these guys are peaking at the right time.”
Shipers out at least one more start
Everett starting pitcher Jordan Shipers, who was scratched from his last start, will miss at least one more start and may be shut down for the remainder of the season.
The left-hander, who’s in his first season of professional baseball after being drafted out of high school in 2010, is experiencing discomfort in his forearm.
“We’re taking it easy with him,” Steinmann said. “He’s a young kid and he’s logged a lot of innings this year compared to what he’s done in the past. He’s doing a throwing program right now and we’re going to evaluate it as it goes along and see if he can either get back in there, or if he won’t pitch the rest of this year.”
Steinmann said the team should know by next weekend whether Shipers will return or be shut down. Right-hander Joe DiRocco started in Shipers’ place Thursday in Vancouver and will remain in the rotation for the time being, meaning the Sox will stick with their six-man rotation until at least the last week of the season.
Burgess back soon
Sox outfielder Jarrett Burgess is on the verge of returning to the lineup.
Burgess was injured when he slammed into the center-field wall trying to track down a deep fly ball Thursday in Vancouver. After staying down for several minutes, Burgess remained in the game and finished out the inning, but was removed for a pinch hitter the next half inning. He hasn’t played since because of various bumps and bruises incurred in the collision, but Steinmann said he expected Burgess to be available today.
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