EVERETT — The Everett AquaSox returned to Everett Memorial Stadium Wednesday fresh off their longest road trip of the season.
The Frogs remain atop the Northwest League North Division first-half standings despite a 4-4 mark on the eight-game road trip. Everett arrived home at 3:30 a.m. Wednesday and did not take batting practice on the field prior to Wednesday night’s home game against the Vancouver Canadians.
“That’s something the players will need to make adjustments to,” Everett manager Jose Moreno said. “They battled through. We played really good games and they were really close — one or two runs were the difference. It was a good thing that we came back with the last two games to try to (start) this homestand on a good note.”
Everett dropped its first two games on the road trip at Spokane and lost both ends of a doubleheader at Eugene on Sunday. But Everett rebounded with a pair of wins to conclude the road trip by scores of 7-4 and 1-0.
Three of the AquaSox’s four losses on the road trip were by two or fewer runs.
“The effort was there and the energy was good,” Moreno said. “Offensively we are struggling a little bit. We didn’t have too much going.”
Entering Wednesday, Everett was sixth in the eight-team NWL in hitting at .226 and tied for fifth in on-base percentage at .312.
But the Frogs are getting it done in the field. Everett’s collective fielding percentage is .987, which is 10 points above the league record of .97698 set by Salem-Keizer in 2006. Everett has committed just nine errors after committing a franchise-worst 135 miscues last season.
“If we compared the first two or three weeks we had last year to this year it’s (a 180-degree switch),” Moreno said. “We’re playing real good defense to help the team win and that’s how you win championships — pitching and defense.”
Starting pitcher Jheyson Caraballo (3-0) has been effective in four starts and is leading the league with a 2.61 earned-run average. Caraballo pitched seven shutout innings and scattered seven hits to pick up the win in Everett’s 1-0 win at Eugene Tuesday in the five-game series finale.
Everett relievers have combined for a league-best eight saves.
“(The pitchers) are attacking the zone and trying to compete and throw strikes and that’s what we preach,” Moreno said. “Just try to be consistent with that and stick with the plan.”
The AquaSox saw their roster expand on Wednesday as a pair of players arrived for rehab stints with Everett.
Catcher Mike Marjama, who was the Seattle Mariners’ opening-day catcher, and relief pitcher Rob Whalen are both with the team as they recover from stints on the disabled list.
Marjama appeared in 10 games with the Mariners this season when Mike Zunino began the season on the disabled list. Marjama was optioned back to Tacoma when Zunino returned and is slashing .247/.302/.424 with five home runs and 23 RBI in 43 games with the Rainiers. He was placed on the disabled list and has been in concussion protocol after he took a foul tip in the face mask two weeks ago.
Whalen had no record in one relief appearance with Seattle this season. He has a 7-4 record with a 4.68 ERA in 14 starts with Tacoma. He has been on the disabled list since June 25.
Moreno said Whalen is scheduled to pitch two innings Friday. Moreno was unsure if Marjama would appear in any games during the homestand.
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