Frogs Feel First Taste of Defeat in July

EVERETT, Wash. -- The Everett AquaSox (7-12) lost their first game in the month of July and the first game in five match-ups against the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes (3-16) by a score of 7-2, when a pitchers' duel between two hurlers looking for their first win of the season quickly turned into a rout for the Volcanoes.

Sox left-hander Jordan Shipers (0-3, 4.74 ERA) was saddled with another tough loss allowing two earned runs while striking out eight, with the Frogs offense garnering only one run of support during his six innings. In his last three starts, Shipers has allowed four earned runs but has lost both of his decisions out of those three starts.

Everett got on the board early with a run in the bottom of the first after shortstop Marcus Littlewood doubled to lead off the inning and was plated home on a sacrifice fly by designated hitter Danny Lopez. Salem-Keizer answered in the next half inning with a manufactured run of their own on two straight sacrifice groundouts to score Brett Krill, who led off the inning with a walk and advanced to second base on a wild pitch by Shipers.

After the first inning, Volcanoes starter Kendry Flores (1-2, 6.60 ERA) faced the minimum amount of batters and allowed just one single in his last five innings to collect his first win of the season and snap the Volcanoes eight game losing streak. The Frogs offense was held to four hits in the game when they had averaged more than eleven hits in the first four games versus Salem-Keizer.

The Volcanoes broke up the 1-1 tie on a one-out double by Krill in the top of the sixth inning and tacked on another when designated hitter Mike Murray reached on an error which scored Krill on a close play at home. Salem-Keizer blew the game wide open with grand slam in the next inning by Krill, who collected five RBIs in the game, set up by two straight two-out walks.

The Sox will look to take a second straight series from the Volcanoes in the rubber game of the three game set as they send out left-hander Bennett Whitmore (1-1, 4.50 ERA) against Salem-Keizer right-hander Lorenzo Mendoza (1-1, 2.25 ERA) at 11:05 a.m.

For information about ticket plans, planning a group outing or about the season schedule, the public is invited to visit the AquaSox stadium store at 3802 Broadway in Everett, call (425) 258-3673, or log onto aquasox.com.