Baserunning Errors Cost Volcanoes in 7-5 Loss

Hillsboro hopped on the board early with a three run first inning.

A three-run rally in the top of the eighth gave the Hops a lead they would not give back, as they went on to defeat the Volcanoes 7-5 on Sunday night at Volcanoes stadium. David Barker - Salem-Keizer Volcanoes

(KEIZER, Ore. ) - Salem-Keizer entered the final game of a three-game series against the Hillsboro Hops looking for their third straight series win.

Hillsboro had other ideas, as a three-run rally in the top of the eighth gave the Hops a lead they would not give back, as they went on to defeat the Volcanoes 7-5 on Sunday night at Volcanoes stadium.

The Volcanoes had plenty of opportunities to add on runs, but base running blemishes in the seventh and ninth extinguished those chances.

Hillsboro hopped on the board early with a three run first inning. Taylor Ratliff, Steve Nyisztor and Elvin Soto all singled to begin the game. After a Nate Robertson strikeout, Bennie Robinson slapped a ball down the left field line for a two run single. Pedro Ruiz followed with a sacrifice bunt to the pitcher Jason Forjet to make the score 3-0.

The Volcanoes retaliated with a run of their own in the bottom of the first. Three walks and an Arroyo single helped push across a run for Salem-Keizer, but a Callaway strikeout and a McCall groundout helped Hillsboro starter Dan Savas escape the jam with only minor damage.

Forjet would settle down after the rough first inning. He allowed just one more run on a wild pitch in the third inning, and finished pitching six innings and allowing four earned runs.

The Volcanoes tacked on another run in the bottom of the second, but would not score again until the seventh.

Christian Arroyo got things started in the bottom of the seventh with a single into right field. Skyer Ewing followed with a single of his own, and Sam Mende walked to load the bases. This brought Will Callaway to the plate who had already stranded six base runners in the game. Callaway delivered this time with a base hit up the middle. Arroyo scored, and Ewing was gunned at the plate for the second out of the inning.

Shilo McCall was next to bat with runners on second and third. He delivered a deep fly ball into right field that landed on the warning track and scored both Volcanoes' runners. It looked like the rally was going to continue when Jared Deacon singled into left field, but McCall became the second Salem-Keizer base runner to be thrown out at home plate in the inning.

Despite the base running blemishes, the Volcanoes carried a 5-4 lead into the top of the eighth. Hillsboro immediately erased the three runs.

Armando Paniagua came into the game and allowed runners to reach first and third after a walk and an error of his own. Paniagua appeared injured after his misplay, and Dusten Knight relieved the right-hander. Knight gave up a bunt single to load the bases with nobody out.

Galli Cribbs came to the plate and delivered a sac fly to left, evening the score at five a piece. Knight would walk the next two he faced before Soto launched another sac fly to center.

With the score 7-5, the Volcanoes looked to rally against the Hops dominant closer, Zac Curtis. Arroyo and Ewing led off the inning with singles, and Mende hit a fly ball to right field, moving Arroyo to third. With Callaway at the plate, Curtis uncorked a ball in the dirt that was blocked by catcher Nate Irving. Ewing took his chances advancing to second but was thrown out.

Callaway drew a walk, but McCall struck out to end the game.

In the contest, Callaway extended his league-leading hitting streak to 16 games his single in the bottom of the seventh.

Arroyo finished the evening with three hits.

Up Next: The Volcanoes hit the road for an eight game road trip. Their first stop is Everett for five games, then Boise for three. Drew Leenhouts (1-2, 3.54) will take the mound for the Volcanoes versus the AquaSox in game one of the road trip. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. with a 6:35 p.m. pregame show on 1490 AM KBZY (www.kbzy.com).

Source: Salem-Keizer Volcanoes

Tweet

Follow @OregonNews