AquaSox Use Big 7th Inning to Down Volcanoes

AquaSox burn Volcanoes with a six run rally.

Fernando Pujadas notched his second consecutive multi-hit game with three hits in Sunday's loss. Photo Courtesy: David Barker - Salem-Keizer Volcanoes

(KEIZER, Ore. ) - Salem-Keizer carried a 1-0 lead into the top of the seventh, but one run was not nearly enough on Sunday.

Behind Phillips Castillo's bases clearing double and Wilton Martinez's two-run home run, the Everett AquaSox rallied for a six run seventh inning en route to a 6-2 win at Volcanoes Stadium.

It was the Volcanoes sixth loss of the season, and first of the five game series against the AquaSox.

The offense took awhile to get started, as the early innings were all about the pitching.

AquaSox starter Dan Altavilla pitched his way through three scoreless innings, and Volcanoes starter Jason Forjet breezed through the first three innings, allowing no free passes and only two hits.

In the bottom of the third, the Volcanoes sent Ryan Jones to the plate with two outs and the bases loaded. After Christian Arroyo reached on a two out error, Craig Massoni slashed his second single of the night in front of center fielder Austin Cousino.

Jonathan Jones then drew a walk, setting the table for Ryan Jones. On a 1-1 count, Jones sent a fly ball to the right fielder Wilton Martinez to end the inning and strand the bases loaded.

The top of the fourth brought Forjet his only jam of the night. Following two quick fly balls to center fielder Johneshwy, Forjet drilled the Everett DH Phillips Castillo in the back before allowing a line drive base hit to Brett Thomas. This brought right fielder Wilton Martinez to the dish, who swung and missed on a 3-2 looping curveball.

Forjet finished Sunday evening tossing five scoreless innings, allowing only four hits and no walks.

"I was working off my fastball, using both sides of the plate, and then going to my off speed after that," Forjet said. "Once I establish the fastball, things will usually work out in my favor."

The Volcanoes had another opportunity to get on the board in the bottom of the fourth, when Pujadas reached on a one out infield single before Brett Kay took a four-pitch walk.

Kay's patience chased Everett starter Altavilla from the game and brought in the long reliever Ricardo Pereira. Pereira got Fargas to line out to left on the first pitch, and then induced a Hollick inning ending liner to center.

At the conclusion of the fourth, the Volcanoes had left eight men on base without scoring a run.

Cameron McVey entered in the top of the sixth. McVey looked sharp in Wednesday's outing in Hillsboro, but did not have his stuff Sunday at Volcanoes Stadium. Following a lead off walk and a line drive single off the bat of Kyle Petty, Castillo drilled a ball into right field for a base hit.

Luckily for the Volcanoes, Everett manager Dave Valle sent Planas-Artega around third allowing for Hollick to gun him down at the plate for the first out of the inning. After that, McVey walked another AquaSox hitter and was pulled from the game without retiring a hitter. Kurt Singer then entered the one out bases loaded mess and helped the Volcanoes escape without allowing a run after he struck out both batters he faced.

This kept the game scoreless going into the bottom of the sixth, where Salem-Keizer was finally able to get on the board.

Ryan Jones got things started with a base hit up the middle. Following a Leonardo Fuentes pop up, the hot hitting Pujadas drilled a double into the right center gap, scoring Jones and giving the Volcanoes a 1-0 lead. On the play, Pujadas was thrown out attempting to stretch his double into a triple.

Singer returned to the mound in the top of the seventh but did not bring the electric stuff he had in the sixth. After allowing three walks, Castillo cleared the bases with a two out double in the right center gap. Another run crossed the plate on Massoni's second error of the game before Martinez crushed a ball over the left field wall for a two-run home run, and a 6-1 AquaSox lead.

Despite three walks, an error and a balk in the ninth inning, the Volcanoes were only able to score one, as Everett went on to defeat Salem-Keizer, 6-2.

Forjet was brilliant on Sunday. He hurled five shut out innings, fanning five, walking none, and only surrendering four hits.

Pujadas continued his hot run at the dish, going 3-4 with the Volcanoes lone RBI.

Up Next: Volcanoes ace Drew Leenhouts looks to rebound from a rough outing in Hillsboro while Everett starter Rigoberto Garcia will try to lower his bloated 10.80 season ERA.

Source: Salem-Keizer Volcanoes