Opponent: Spokane Indians
When: 6:30 p.m.
Where: Avista Stadium, Spokane
Radio: KRKO (1380 AM)
Probable starters: Everett left-hander Edward Paredes (3-2, 2.87 ERA) vs. Spokane right-hander Fabio Castillo (1-3, 7.27)
Another big loss
The hits just keep on coming for the Everett AquaSox.
Two days after Everett lost its most-effective pitcher when Nolan Gallagher was promoted, the Sox learned they’re losing one of their best hitters Matt Mangini because of injury.
Mangini, Everett’s third baseman and second-leading hitter, is headed to the Seattle Mariners’ complex in Peoria, Ariz., to rehabilitate his sore lower back. The length of Mangini’s rehab stay is still to be determined, but it’s possible he won’t return to Everett this season.
“He was our third-hole hitter since he got here and it’s tough to replace a left-handed third baseman,” Everett manager Mike Tosar said. “We’re going to miss his bat in the lineup.”
Mangini, taken by the Mariners with a sandwich pick between the first and second rounds in this year’s draft, was batting .291 and leading the team in on-base percentage at .398.
However, Mangini hadn’t played since July 15 because of the sore back, an injury that’s nagged him since high school. Since then he’s undergone a series of tests to determine the extent of the injury.
“The bone scan was good,” Everett trainer Spyder Webb said. “He’s got a low-back stabilization problem. So he’s going to go on a core stabilization program to get it stronger.
“He could play today, but after seven to 10 days he would be right back where he came from,” Webb continued. “We want it where once he starts playing again, he can continue. We’re going to do everything we can to make that happen.”
In other injury news, first baseman Manelik Pimentel caught his spikes while sliding in the seventh inning of Tuesday 5-2 victory over Vancouver and had to come out of the game with a twisted ankle. He was still to be evaluated, but is expected to be day to day.
Also, second baseman Edilio Colina continues to make progress on his injured shoulder, suffered last Thursday while diving back into first base. Webb expected Colina to be ready again in three or four days.
Mena takes advantage: Roberto Mena spent most of the first half of the season biding his time on Everett’s bench. But given his chance, Mena has taken advantage.
Because of the injuries to Mangini and Colina, Mena has been in the starting lineup each of the last five games. He came into that stretch with just one hit. Although he didn’t get a hit Tuesday, he had seven hits in the previous four, raising his batting average by 140 points. He’s also played flawless defense, primarily at second base.
“I was just waiting for my opportunity,” said Mena, Seattle’s 19th-round pick in this year’s draft out of the University of Tampa. “This is my first year pro, I come from playing four years in college, and you’ve got to wait for your chance. Then when you get your chance you’ve got to prove you can play every day.”
The current stretch has helped Mena put his 1-for-31 start to his professional career behind him.
“Every single time you have a chance to play you’ve got to have some good at bats,” Mena said. “And you’ve got to take it easy because it’s a hard game, especially when you come from the bench. You don’t have your timing down, you don’t have the feeling for the curveball, so you’ve got to take it easy just putting the bat on the ball.”
Early alarm: Tuesday’s 11:05 a.m. start for Kids Day at Everett Memorial Stadium is a challenge for the players, who are used to the 7:05 p.m. starts and being able to sleep in.
“It was kind of uncomfortable because we had a late game (Monday) night and we went to bed at about midnight,” Tuesday’s starting pitcher Alfredo Venegas said, with Mena translating. “When I woke up I felt I wasn’t rested enough. But this is the game of baseball and we’ve got to deal with it every day.”
Maybe the shock to the system was just what Everett needed. Tuesday’s victory snapped a four-game losing streak.
“Honestly, I was kind of tired today,” designated hitter Kalian Sams said. “But it worked out.”
Nick Patterson, Herald writer
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