Vancouver Rallies Past Volcanoes, 6-4

The Hops come to Keizer for a three-game series that begins Friday for the 7th Annual Patriotic Tribute at Volcanoes Stadium.

The Hillsboro Hops come to Keizer for a three-game series that begins Friday for the 7th Annual Patriotic Tribute at Volcanoes Stadium. Photo Courtesy: Salem-Keizer Volcanoes

(VANCOUVER, B.C.) - Vancouver used a five-run bottom of the eighth inning to rally back to victory 6-4 in the series finale Thursday night in front of 3,784 at Nat Bailey Stadium.

Roemon Fields gave the C's its fourth win in the five-game series with a 2 RBI triple with two outs in the eighth to cap off the huge comeback. He would eventually score on a throwing error after getting cleanly to third base.

After Salem-Keizer built a 4-1 lead with two runs in the top of the seventh and another tally in the eighth inning, Volcanoes reliever Cameron McVey came into the game.

McVey allowed back-to-back singled to Ryan McBroom and Boomer Collins before retiring Michael De La Cruz and Jonathan Davis. With two down, Seth Conner took a walk to load the bases before Alexis Maldanado scored two on a single to bring the game within one run, 4-3. Fields gave the Canadians the lead with his second triple of the season.

In the top of the 9th, tensions flared. New C's reliever Brett Barber came into the game and hit Geno Escalante on the helmet, prompting home plate umpire Matt Snodgrass to eject the right-handed closer. Vancouver manager John Schneider argued the call and was also tossed.

Kamakani Usui was rushed into the ballgame with a 6-4 lead in the top of the night inning with a runner at first. Fernando Pujadas hit a comebacker to Usui, who elected to go to second base to get the lead runner. After a hard slide into second base, tensions flared on the infield and the benches cleared. Volcanoes hitting coach Ricky Ward was tossed in the middle of the scrum by base umpire Art Gonzalez.

Usui was able to get the final two outs as Shilo McCall struck out and Brett Kay flew out to right field.

Drew Leenhouts did not factor into the decision of the game, but pitched well again off his recent Northwest League Picture of the Week Award. He went 6.2 innings allowing a run on eight hits with no walks and nine strikeouts. Leenhouts has 26 K's in his last three outings.

The Volcanoes finished the road trip 3-5, dropping four in Vancouver to level off at 9-12 overall. With the other three teams in the South winning Thursday night, that now puts Salem-Keizer at third, five games back of Hillsboro.

The Hops come to Keizer for a three-game series that begins Friday for the 7th Annual Patriotic Tribute at Volcanoes Stadium.

Up Next: Jose Reyes will take the baseball for his fifth start of the season in a critical stretch of divisional games opposite Hops righty Ryan Doran.

Source: Salem-Keizer Volcanoes