Emeralds Rally Past Salem-Keizer, 8-6

The Volcanoes look to continue a hot start to the second half with a trip north to Try-City to face the 3-5 Dust Devils.

In the top of the seventh, a couple wild pitches and a passed ball helped push across the winning runs as the Emeralds defeated the Volcanoes 8-6, Tuesday night at Volcanoes Stadium. Photo Courtesy: David Baker Salem-Keizer Volcanoes

(KEIZER, Ore. ) - In a chaotic game that saw ten runs score before the end of the third inning, it was Eugene who had the last laughs.

In the top of the seventh, a couple wild pitches and a passed ball helped push across the winning runs as the Emeralds defeated the Volcanoes 8-6, Tuesday night at Volcanoes Stadium.

Eugene jumped out to an early lead off Volcanoes starter Drew Leenhouts, scratching across a run on a bloop single from the cleanup hitter Marcus Davis in the top of the first. The lead was erased promptly.

Johneshwy Fargas took a 1-0 offering from Eugene's starter Thomas Dorminy over the left field wall to even the score.

The rally continued from there. Ryder Jones dunked a double in front of the right fielder Nick Torres, and Austin Slater and Will Callaway both notched singles to secure a three run first inning.

Eugene retaliated in the top of the second thanks to a towering solo homerun off the bat of the backstop, Michael Miller.

The runs kept on coming in the bottom of the second. Fargas and Jones were both given free passes to start the inning and advanced on a double steal.

Christian Arroyo knocked them both in with a single to left, and the inning finally came to a close when Fernando Pujadas grounded out with the bases loaded.

The stranded runners cost the Volcanoes going into the top of the third. Eugene began the inning with a 5-2 deficit, but things quickly changed.

A lead off single followed by a deep two-bagger from Auston Bousfield started the rally, and a Ewing error with a Torres double finished it. After seven hitters came to bat, three crossed the plate, at the game was knotted at five.

Leenhouts was chased from the game in the fifth after giving up loud extra base hits to both Bousfield and Franchy Cordero. He finished the night allowing six runs, five earned, in four and a third innings. In the middle of the fifth, Eugene carried a 6-5 lead.

The Volcanoes tied the game, and almost took the lead in the bottom of the fifth. Brett Kay walked and Fargas followed with a double down the right field line.

Jones advanced the runners with a ground out to second before Christian Arroyo popped a shallow flight to right. Fargas decided to test the arm of Torres but was gunned at the plate. The game was once again all tied up, this time at six.

Unfortunately for Salem-Keizer, sloppy play allowed two runs to cross the plate in the top of the seventh as Steven Neff and Pujadas combined for two wild pitches and one passed ball.

No more runs would cross the plate, as the Emeralds maintained the 8-6 lead and avoided the sweep.

Despite a 1-5 night, Arroyo drove in three for the Volcanoes.

Bousfield served as the villain, going 3-5 with three extra base hits and four runs scored.

Up Next: The Volcanoes look to continue a hot start to the second half with a trip north to Try-City to face the 3-5 Dust Devils. Jose Reyes, owner of a 4-3 record and a 3.56 ERA, will take the mound for the first game of a five game series.

Source: Salem-Keizer Volcanoes