Late inning offense propels Volcanoes to 10-5 win

The offense came a little later than usual in game four on Sunday afternoon, but it's better late than never for the Volcanoes who have now took down the first four games of this five game series against the Canadians.

It was Vancouver who jumped out to an early 3-0 lead off of Volcanoes' starter Michael Connolly in the second inning. RBI hits from Earl Burl III and James Lynch shot the Canadians out in front, who were seeking to halt a seven-game losing streak.

Salem-Keizer began chipping away at Vancouver's first lead of the series in the fourth inning. After a Chase Compton double and Jose Vizcaino Jr. single, Fernando Pujadas used a groundball to drive in the Volcanoes' first run of the game. 

In the sixth inning it was Vizcaino Jr. again providing the offense, this time grounding into a fielder's choice to cut the deficit to 3-2. 

The Northwest League's leading home run flexed its muscle in the seventh as back to back solo home runs from Julio Pena and Shilo McCall not only tied the game, but shot Salem-Keizer out in front 4-3. 

 

BACK-TO-BACK JACKS! Julio Pena and @ShiloMcCall smoke solo shots in succession to give the Volcanoes a 4-3 lead in the 7th #GoSKV

— Volcanoes Baseball (@SKVolcanoes) July 12, 2015

The craziness of this seesaw affair began in the bottom of the seventh when three Volcanoes' errors resulted in the fourth and fifth runs for Vancouver off of Salem-Keizer reliever E.J. Encinosa (2-1, 2.25), momentarily putting the home team out in front. 

Chase Compton and John Riley, who were the culprits for the Salem-Keizer miscues in the seventh, would amend their mistakes. Compton led off the eighth with a hit by pitch, and advanced to third after a Vizcaino Jr. double. Pujadas tied the game on an RBI single, before Riley then laid down a sacrifice bunt that scored Vizcaino Jr. from third. 

The Volcanoes' ended up stranding a couple runners in scoring position with nobody out in the eighth, but the ninth inning would soon make up for that lost opportunity. Four more Salem-Keizer runs came in to score from RBI hits by Pujadas, Riley, and Pena. 

Caleb Smith came on for the bottom of the ninth with a five run lead and sealed the fourth consecutive victory for the Volcanoes. 

The win improves Salem Keizer's (14-11) record to three games above .500 for the first time this season as they keep pace in what is turning out to be a three-horse race in the Southern division between themselves, Hillsboro and Eugene. 

Another defeat at home for Vancouver (8-17) results in its eighth straight defeat as the Canadians continue to plummet down the cellar of the Northern division. 

The Volcanoes' pursuit of a five-game sweep north of the border will conclude on Monday night, with first pitch set for 7:05 p.m.