Salem-Keizer escapes Boise with 7-6 win

Out-hit and riddled by errors, Volcanoes escape Hawks' grip with series-clinching victory

By Jamie Daffner

July 4, 2015

BOISE, Idaho - It wasn't the prettiest of victories for the Volcanoes, but with a long trip back to Keizer looming, pretty wasn't important. Salem-Keizer worked around a season-high five errors and collected just half of the Hawks' hit total. But the Volcanoes went on to defeat the Hawks 7-6 in front of a sellout crowd of 4,290 at Memorial Stadium.

Boise (6-10) out-hit the Volcanoes 12-6 and made three fewer errors, but a four-run seventh inning highlighted by a Miguel Gomez three-RBI double was enough offense to carry the Volcanoes (7-9) out of the cellar in the Southern Division and into sole possession of third place.

Salem-Keizer took an early 2-0 advantage in the opening frame on a Jose Vizcaino Jr. RBI single and a C.J. Hinojosa sac fly.

Boise cut the deficit in half off of Volcanoes' starter Nick Gonzalez, stringing together back-to-back doubles. Salem-Keizer quickly reclaimed its two run advantage with a Shilo McCall RBI single in the fourth.

In what had been a shoddy series defensively for both clubs, the Volcanoes had a half-inning to forget in the home half of the fifth. Three errors and three hits led to four Hawks' runs and chased Gonzalez from the game.

Rayan Hernandez (1-0, 2.25) was able to get out of the inning with limited damage and keep the game within reach.

With a 5-3 lead heading into the seventh, the Hawks were close to giving the packed house at Memorial stadium something to enjoy along with their postgame fireworks.

Cesar Villarroel (0-2, 11.88) came on in relief of Hawks' starter Colin Welmon and combined to walk or hit four of the first five batters he faced, including hitting Vizcaino Jr. to drive in Salem-Keizer's fourth run. With one out and three men on, Gomez, the Volcanoes' leading hitter, cleared the bases with a double into the left-center field gap to make it a 7-5 game.

Cory Taylor allowed the Hawks to inch closer by allowing three hits and a run in the eighth, but Ryan Halstead nailed the game down with a perfect ninth to clinch the game three and series victory. It was the first career save for the right-hander out of Indiana.

The Volcanoes head home for a five-game set with the Tri-City Dust Devils while the Hawks pack their bags for Washington as they begin a five-game set in Spokane. First pitch on Saturday night is set for 6:35 p.m. from Volcanoes Stadium.