Late Inning Magic Helps Hops Rally to Beat Volcanoes

The Volcanoes return home to Keizer to host the Everett AquaSox Saturday night.

In the loss, Johneshwy Fargas recorded his second three-hit game of the season including a solo home run and a double. Photo Courtesy: Salem-Keizer Volcanoes

(HILLSBORO, Ore. ) - In each of their victories, the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes have put together some late inning magic to come from behind and win. Friday night, that magic was on Hillsboro's side.

With two outs and runners on second and third, Elvin Soto deposited the first pitch he saw into the right-center gap, just out of the reach of a diving Shilo McCall for the 2-1 victory.

The win improved Hillsboro's record to 6-2 on the season. It also marked its second victory over Salem-Keizer this season after beating them just three times in 2013.

After failing to score a run in the first inning for just the first time this season, Hillsboro struck first in the bottom of the second.

Justin Gonzalez hit a one-out double off the left field fence and advanced to third on a balk. He scored one batter later on a sacrifice fly by Grant Heyman.

The Volcanoes tied the game in the fourth with one swing of the bat. After falling behind in the count, Johneshwy Fargas worked his way back to a full count. On the eighth pitch of the at bat, he launched his first professional home run over the left field fence to tie the game at one.

Fargas finished the game 3-for-3 with a walk. He finished just a triple short of the cycle.

After Fargas's blast knotted the game at one, Gonzalez took over on the mound. The left-hander blanked the Hops in the fourth fifth and sixth before turning to the bullpen in a tied game in the seventh inning.

It appeared as if the Hops were set to retake the lead in the bottom half of the fourth. Geno Escalante and Gonzalez had other ideas.

With a runner on third and two outs, Gonzalez threw a wild pitch to the back stop. Escalante alertly retrieved the ball off the ricochet and flipped it to Gonzalez at the plate for the tag out.

Gonzalez was also able to work out of trouble in the bottom half of the sixth. With runners on the corners and two outs, Gonzalez induced a two-hop grounder to Brett Kay at second to end the threat.

Gonzalez finished the night allowing just one run. He struck out five and walked nobody on his way to becoming the first starting pitcher to toss six complete innings for the Volcanoes this season.

Raymundo Montero relieved Gonzalez and fired two more scoreless innings, forcing a 1-1 game into the ninth inning.

Salem-Keizer went quietly in the top half of the ninth, as Dustin Loggins struck out the side. The bottom of the ninth was anything but quiet.

Pitching in relief of Montero, McCasland struck out Bennie Robinson to begin the inning. He then walked Justin Gonzalez and Grant Heyman on eight pitches, leading to a pitching change from manager Garry Davenport.

Both base runners advanced into scoring position on the next pitch, as E.J. Encinosa's offering went to the backstop. He struck out Jordan Parr for the second out, but surrendered the game-winning knock to Soto on the first pitch of the at-bat.

Up Next: The Volcanoes return home to Keizer to host the Everett AquaSox, Class A Affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. In a five-game series spanning Saturday through Wednesday, Salem-Keizer (3-5) will look to take advantage of an Everett (2-6) team who has lost six of its last seven. First pitch Saturday is scheduled for 6:35 p.m., a game in which the two millionth fan will come through the gates at Volcanoes Stadium.

Source: Salem-Keizer Volcanoes