Batista and Cali’s Monster Mashes Lead Sox to Win
May 22, 2024 - Everett, WA: Powerful swings from Freuddy Batista Caleb Cali alongside a pair of RBI doubles from AquaSox outfielders propelled the Frogs to a 7-0 victory over the Dust Devils Wednesday evening at Funko Field. Left-handed starting pitcher Brandyn Garcia was locked in yet again in the
May 22, 2024 - Everett, WA: Powerful swings from Freuddy Batista Caleb Cali alongside a pair of RBI doubles from AquaSox outfielders propelled the Frogs to a 7-0 victory over the Dust Devils Wednesday evening at Funko Field.
Left-handed starting pitcher Brandyn Garcia was locked in yet again in the first game of the series following a Tuesday evening rainout. Garcia spun a masterpiece from the mound, throwing five innings of shutout baseball while striking out eight batters; five swinging and three looking. He only allowed three hits all evening in his first scoreless start. It was also Garcia’s third consecutive start allowing one earned run or fewer.
Supporting Garcia was a strong AquaSox offense that began scoring immediately in the bottom of the first. Once the bats were lit on fire they never slowed down.
When the Frogs began hitting, they got on the board two batters into the game. Brock Rodden drew a leadoff walk and stole his 11th base of the season, putting Everett in a perfect position to strike first. Josh Hood would knock an RBI double off of the right-center field wall to bring home Rodden, giving the Sox an immediate 1-0 lead. Two batters later, Jared Sundstrom would bloop a double to left field to score Hood, doubling the AquaSox lead to 2-0.
Everett would again double their lead in the bottom of the second inning. After Axel Sanchez reached base on an infield single, Freuddy Batista demolished a deep drive to left field, extending Everett’s lead 4-0. Batista’s 396-foot home run was scorched off the bat at 104 mph and was his second homer to left field in as many games.
As the next two innings cruised thanks to Garcia’s strong pitching, the Frogs held their 4-0 lead until the bottom of the fifth inning, where seven batters would help the AquaSox add three more runs.
RJ Schreck led off the fifth inning by walking and stealing his fourth base. Hood would continue his hot streak at the plate, hitting an RBI single to score Schreck. Continuing the strong base running was Hood, who swiped a bag of his own after singling. Infielder Caleb Cali then connected for his first AquaSox hit and it was a huge one. Cali smashed a 378-foot home run to left field, scoring Hood to increase Everett’s lead to 7-0. His home run was squared up, exiting the bat at 101 mph. The fifth inning concluded the Frogs’ scoring efforts for the evening.
Caleb Cali’s first hit with the AquaSox is good for two! Cali blasts one to left field and the Frogs now lead 7-0! pic.twitter.com/lL7G4Hho9W
— Everett AquaSox (@EverettAquaSox) May 23, 2024
Securing the final four innings of the game for Everett were Jimmy Kingsbury, Blake Townsend, and Jason Ruffcorn. Kingsbury threw two shutout innings and matched his season-high in strikeouts, striking out four batters while lowering his season ERA to 2.82. Townsend tossed one scoreless inning as his ERA dipped to 1.69. Ruffcorn struck out three batters.
In the batter’s box, Everett reached base a total of 13 times on seven hits and six walks. Hood led the team with two hits and now has 10 hits and nine RBIs in his last five games. Gabriel Moncada, Rodden, Schreck, Cali, Sanchez, and Batista all hit safely, with Cali and Batista both homering. Rodden and Schreck both drew a pair of walks, and the AquaSox also stole four bases, with Rodden swiping two.
AquaSox Game Day Photos
— Everett AquaSox (@EverettAquaSox) May 23, 2024
📸: @ShariSommerfeld pic.twitter.com/smCkSvt1DM
PICTURED ABOVE: Freuddy Batista
PHOTO CREDIT: Shari Sommerfeld
LOOKING AHEAD: Tomorrow night is Throwback Thursday! The AquaSox will be playing two games as makeup for Tuesday evening’s rainout. Ty Cummings will take the mound at 6:05 PM for Game One and Game Two will begin approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of Game One. Both games will be seven innings long. Come hang out and celebrate Throwback Thursday with $3.00 hot dogs, sodas, popcorn, and 12 oz. cans of Coors Light as the AquaSox take on the Tri-City Dust Devils! Double the games, double the fun!
ABOUT THE EVERETT AQUASOX: The Everett AquaSox are the High-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. Everett is a member of the Northwest League and has been a Mariners affiliate since establishing the AquaSox moniker in 1995. For updates on the 2023 season, community initiatives, and Webbly appearances follow the Frogs on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok, or visit our website, AquaSox.com. Flex tickets, ticket plans, group outings, and picnics outings can be purchased by calling (425) 258-3673 or visiting the AquaSox Front Office at 3802 Broadway.