Macko strikes out 11, Marte Homers

EVERETT, WA: Starting pitcher Adam Macko twirled five innings of four-hit ball while punching out a total of ten Emeralds along the way.

Macko is 21 years old and grew up in Slovakia however opted to go to school in Canada. The Mariners took Adam in the seventh round of the 2019 draft, and he spent 2021 with Modesto where he struck out 56 hitters to just 21 walk holding hitters to a .223 batting average. He is currently ranked eleventh in the Mariners system.

Outfielder Spencer Packard hit a two-run shot in first to give the Frogs a 2-0 lead; it was his second home run in as many days as the slugger continues to come up big for the Frogs.

The Everett lineup exploded in the bottom of the fifth inning scoring three runs on a Tyler Keenan double (scoring Noelvi Marte who reached on a walk), a Victor Labrada triple scoring Keenan and a Charlie Welch single that scored Labrada. Those runs would, unfortunately, be given right back in the top of the sixth until the bottom half of the inning.

With one out and Alberto Rodriguez was on base, Marte (pictured above) crushed a baseball out to left field and it bounced off a nearby rooftop. It's his first home run at the High-A level.

The distance of the home run was 405 feet with an exit velocity of 106 miles per hour.

The Frogs added on in the bottom of the seventh inning when Alberto Rodriguez drove in James Parker. Parker reached on a fielding error. Rodriguez was acquired in September of 2020 when the Mariners dealt starting pitcher Taijuan Walker to the Blue Jays. Rodriguez spent much of 2021 with Modesto where he hit .295 with 10 home runs and 63 RBIs. Alberto grew up in the Dominican Republic with Noelvi Marte and they've been close friends since their childhood.

Both Victor Labrada, Alberto Rodriguez, Charlie Welch all collected multiple hits in the game and Noelvi Marte reached base four times (collecting three walks as well as his homerun).

James Parker added onto the Frogs lead in the bottom of the eighth inning as he crushed a ball deep into left field for a two-run double scoring Dariel Gomez and Charlie Welch. Gomez reached on a walk and Welch reached on his second hit of the game.

Mike Mokma came in to relieve Luis Curvelo and pitched two innings of one run ball only allowing two hits along the way. Mokma was a minor league free agent signee and is 23 years old while standing in at 6’7. Mike has a brother (Chris) who is currently a pitcher in the Marlins system.

Frogs will be back in action tomorrow, Sunday the 10th, at 4:05 PM. Righty Bryce Miller will toe the mound for the Aquasox and kids will have a chance to take a run around the bases postgame. There will also be magnetic schedules given away before the game.

Photo Credit: Shari Sommerfeld