Salem-Keizer Volcanoes Off to Rocky Start

The Volcanoes went two-for-nine with runners in scoring position and left 10 runners on base.

(KEIZER, Ore. ) - After managing just four hits in last night's loss, the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes' offense contained a little more life on Friday, outhitting Vancouver nine to six.

But while the offense was knocking on the door all night long, it just couldn't break it down.

The Volcanoes went two-for-nine with runners in scoring position and left 10 runners on base, as they inevitably fell to their second consecutive defeat in the 3-1 loss to the Vancouver Canadians.

After scoring 11 runs in last night's game, the Canadians appeared in a position to score with runners on first and second to start the game. Jose Reyes had other ideas, striking out David Harris and inducing an inning ending double play by Boomer Collins to escape trouble.

Reyes was unable to hold off Vancouver for long, however, as the Canadians loaded the bases with nobody out in the third. Reyes struck out Franklin Barreto and got Harris to ground out one batter later, but the Volcanoes were unable to turn a double play as the first run crossed the plate.

Vancouver grabbed ahold of a 2-0 lead during the next at bat, as an errant pickoff throw sailed down the right field line.

In his first full season with the Canadians, Jairo LaBourt kept the Volcanoes quiet through the first three innings. Retiring the first seven batters of the game, LaBourt allowed just one hit - a single to Will Callaway - through the first three innings.

But that strong start began to fade in the fourth, as LaBourt walked the first two batters of the inning. Both runners advanced to scoring position on a ground out by Geno Escalante, but were unable to come around to score.

Jonathan Jones drew an eight pitch walk to load the bases, but Callaway grounded out on a sharply hit grounder to first to end the threat.

The Volcanoes once again came up empty with another rally attempt in the bottom of the sixth. Craig Massoni singled to start the frame, but was thrown out at after a force out on a failed bunt attempt by Escalantes.

Shilo McCall and Jones then loaded the bases for Salem-Keizer on back to back singles, but Callaway struck out and Escalantes was thrown out trying to score at home on a ball in the dirt.

Despite the offense's inability to break through, the Volcanoes hung tight with Vancouver thanks to the arm of Kirk Singer.

Making his 2014 debut, Singer delivered two shutout innings, allowing just one hit and striking out three in relief of Reyes.

Unable to capitalize on any of the previous scoring threats, the Volcanoes crossed the plate in the seventh on what started out as a quiet seventh inning.

With two outs and nobody on base, T Relaford tripled to deep center field. He scored just three pitches later, when Ryan Jones hit a liner to right for Salem-Keizer's first run.

A Massoni double put the Volcanoes in position to take their first lead of 2014, but Escalantes struck out to end the inning.

That was as close as Salem-Keizer got, as Vancouver pushed across an additional run in the eighth before Kamakani Usuai slammed the door with a scoreless ninth inning.