Volcanoes Stay in Playoff Hunt, Beat Eugene 3-2
September 3, 2015 - Northwest League (NWL1)
Salem-Keizer Volcanoes News Release
KEIZER, Ore - The Volcanoes kept their playoff hopes alive with a 3-2 win over the Eugene Emeralds at Volcanoes Stadium Wednesday.
Chris Shaw hit a solo home run in the seventh inning to tie the game at two. Jose Vizcaino Jr. quickly followed with a single and advanced to third on a Dillon Dobson ground out. The offensive outburst cut Emerald reliever Tyler Peitzmeier's (2-3, 5.17 ERA) night short after allowing two runs while recording just one out in the inning.
Julio Pena continued the rally with a slicing line drive down the right-field line that scored Vizcaino while Pena ran out a triple. The Volcanoes' right fielder was later stranded at third after a Scott Price strikeout.
David Owen (3-2, 2.61 ERA) picked up the victory after working a scoreless inning and recording one strikeout with one walk. Ryan Halstead picked up his seventh save of the season with a dominant ninth inning.
A Blake Headley single pushed across the Emeralds first run off of Volcanoes' starter Grant Watson in the top of the first. Adonis Paula also scored in the inning after a Donnie Dewees single.
Byron Murray recorded his first extra base hit with the Volcanoes after he led off the fourth inning with a triple. Murray then scored after Emeralds' second baseman P.J. Higgins failed to field a routine ground ball off of the bat of Miguel Gomez.
Oscar De La Cruz was on track to pick up his third win of the season against the Volcanoes before the bullpen allowed Salem-Keizer back into the game. De La Cruz completed six innings allowing only one earned run while striking out four.
Nate Santiago worked out of a bases loaded situation in the top of the sixth inning to keep the game within reach for the Volcanoes. Eugene filled the bases after a single, double and a walk but the Santiago avoided any runs with a foul out and a runner stranded between third and home after a dropped pitch.
Home Run Pace: Shaw's seventh inning homer was his league leading 11th of the season and also pushed the 2015 Volcanoes to the top of the franchise record books with 58 home runs in the season. This eclipsed the mark of 57 set by the 2007 club.
More One Run Fun: It was the ninth time this season that the Volcanoes and Emeralds game was decided by one run this season. Salem-Keizer has come out on top in five of those nine games.
Up Next: In the series finale Logan Webb (3-5, 5.06 ERA) and Ryan Kellogg (0-1, 5.79 ERA) will meet for the second time this season. The two faced each other in Keizer on Aug. 21, a game the Emeralds took by a final score of 7-6.
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Northwest League Stories from September 3, 2015
- Hops Stomp Hawks 12-0 - Boise Hawks
- Eugene's De La Cruz Named Cubs' Minor League Pitcher of the Month - Eugene Emeralds
- Indians Fall in Extra Innings to AquaSox - Spokane Indians
- Hops Blanked in Boise - Hillsboro Hops
- Volcanoes Stay in Playoff Hunt, Beat Eugene 3-2 - Salem-Keizer Volcanoes
- Kennedy and Company Shut out Canadians - Tri-City Dust Devils
- Despite Allowing Just Two Hits Canadians Fall 1-0 - Vancouver Canadians
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