Keyberth Mejias slides into third during the 7-0 loss to Hillsboro. (KEIZERTIMES/Dee Moore)
The Salem-Keizer Volcanoes plunged from the peak of a record-setting road victory over Everett on Monday to the valley of a 7-0 home loss to Hillsboro Tuesday.
Tuesday’s game was a no-hitter through 4-1/2 innings. In the Volcano fifth, Jeff Houghtby hit a two-out single to left center field, but starting and winning pitcher Michel Gelabert retired the next batter. The other Volcano hit was a single to left by Kwan Adams in the seventh.
Volcano starter Jacob Lopez, who in his first start had pitched five innings of shutout ball, gave up three runs in the first. Ricky Martinez walked, Steven Leyton hit an infield single, and Jesus Marriaga hit into a fielder’s choice that allowed Martinez to score. Marriaga reached second base on a throwing error by second baseman Yorlis Rodriguez, and Kristian Robinson hit a home run to right center.
In the top of the fourth, Ryan January homered over the right field fence. In the Hops fifth, Steven Leyton reached first base on a force out and went to third as Andy Yerzy singled to right. Marriaga drove in Leyton with a double to left, and Tyler Schimp relieved Lopez, whose record went to 1-1. Jorge Barrosa scored Yerzy and Marriaga with a double to left.
Gelabert left the game after five innings with a 1-0 record. With Franklyn Soriano pitching in the sixth, Sean Roby walked and reached third after a fielder’s choice and an error, but a double play followed.
Cooper Casad pitched the seventh and eighth innings for Salem-Keizer. In the Hops eighth, singles by Barrosa, January, and Nick Dalessandro loaded the bases with one out, but a double play stopped the rally.
In the ninth, Abel Adames pitched for the Volcanoes and allowed a double and walk but no runs.
Volcano manager Mark Hallberg called the game “a good experience” for his players, saying they learned what can happen even after a big win.
The attendance was 1,851.
Wednesday, June 19: Spokane 6, Volcanoes 2 (11 innings)
The visitors from Spokane knocked Salem-Keizer’s record to .500 and guaranteed a series win for themselves.
The Indians scored first, with a first-inning sacrifice fly by Cristian Inoa sending Obie Ricumstrict home. In the third, with Keyberth Mejias on third base, a balk by starting pitcher Jeifry Nunez sent him home.
Nunez and Salem-Keizer starter Kervin Castro each went five innings and gave up one earned run.
Although the Volcanoes outhit the Indians 7-4, hits were not the only factor in Spokane’s 11th-inning rally. Cooper Casad, who became the losing pitcher, hit Stanly Martinez, who later scored. Jonah McReynolds scored the final Indian run on a sacrifice fly by Starling Joseph.
Mejias scored the second Volcano run on a force out.
Josh Smith was the winning pitcher.
Thursday, June 20: Volcanoes 6, Spokane 0
The Volcanoes denied the Indians a sweep, going to a game over the .500 mark and tying Eugene for the South Division lead.
Jacob Lopez put on the best Salem-Keizer pitching performance so far this season, going five innings as the starter, striking out six and allowing only one hit for a 1-0 record. Spokane starter Theo McDowell took the loss, lasting only one-third of an inning.
Three of the runs came in the first inning. Yorlis Rodriguez singled Simon Whiteman home and scored on a single by Ricardo Genoves. A wild pitch by Juan Castillo scored Sean Roby.
In the second, a single by Roby drove in Kwan Adkins and Franklin Labour singled Rodriguez home. Roby doubled in the fourth for another Rodriguez run.
Roby had three hits in the game.
Friday, June 21: Volcanoes 10, Everett 9 (10 innings)
Here was a phenomenal comeback, with Salem-Keizer
in its first road game of the season, coming back from a 6-0 deficit to take its first lead of the game in the 10th inning.
Home runs by Cash Gladfelter, Miguel Perez, and Trent Tingelstad gave Everett the 6-0 lead. The Volcanoes’ bats got hot in the sixth inning, with home runs by Franklin Labour and Ricardo Genoves, to tie the score at 6.
The AquaSox answered with three runs in the bottom of the sixth. The Volcanoes’ attack resumed in the eighth, with Yorlis Rodriguez scoring on a force out. In the Salem-Keizer ninth, a single by Sean Roby scored Simon Whiteman and Jeff Houghtby.
In the 10th, a sacrifice fly by Tyler Flores drove in Labour.
Deiyerbert Bolivar was the winning pitcher in relief at 1-0, and Israel Cruz had his first save. Brock Minich took the loss at 0-1.
Saturday, June 22: Volcanoes 6, Everett 2
Tyler Flores’s bat and Jesus Ozoria’s arm led the way to the second Salem-Keizer victory in this second game of a road series.
Ozoria, just sent down from the Augusta GreenJackets, started and went five innings to get the win, striking out four. Flores hit his first home run of the season with Sean Roby and Franklin Labour on base to give the Volcanoes a 4-0 lead.
Also hitting his first homer for the Volcanoes was Yorlis Rodriguez in the sixth with the bases empty.
Clay Helvey relieved Ozoria and got his first save. Juan Then was the losing pitcher at 0-1.
Sunday, June 23: Everett 8, Volcanoes 6
The Volcanoes scored the first two runs of this one, but the AquaSox got three runs each in the second and third and two in the fourth.
In the Salem-Keizer first, Sean Roby scored on a single by Yorlis Rodriguez and then scored as Franklin Labour tripled.
A ground out, a double, and a single drove in Everett’s second-inning runs. A ground out for Salem-Keizer scored Jeff Houghtby in the second to tie the score, but the AquaSox came back with three in the bottom of the inning. Juan Camacho hit a two-run single, and a ground out scored Patrick Frick.
The last two Everett runs came when Robert Perez homered with Billy Cooke on base. In the Volcano seventh, George Bell doubled Keyberth Mejias home and an error sent Tyler Flores home from third base. Flores scored ahead in the ninth on a single by Simon Whiteman.
Starter Kelvin Nunez was the winning pitcher, and Reid Morgan earned a save. Alex DuBord, the Volcano starter, took the loss.
Monday, June 24: Volcanoes 13, Everett 3
The Volcanoes lived up to their name, setting a Northwest League record with six home runs in a game and winning the series with the AquaSox.
Ricardo Genoves hit two homers and Jeff Houghtby, Sean Roby, Franklin Labour, and Tyler Flores one each. Kervin Castro became the second Salem-Keizer starting pitcher this season to pitch five scoreless innings. He had eight strikeouts and allowed only two hits and one walk.
Houghtby and Roby had three hits apiece. Simon Whiteman stole his sixth base.
Trent Tinglestad hit two home runs for Everett.
Castro’s win gave him a 1-0 record. Everett starter Sam Tuivailala was the losing pitcher at 0-1.