Volcanoes pounce

Published 9:00 pm Wednesday, August 9, 2006

EVERETT – There were two different games played at Everett Memorial Stadium on Wednesday night: The one in which Tony Butler was on the mound for the Everett AquaSox and the one when he wasn’t.

Butler turned in a stellar performance for Everett, but everything fell apart once he departed, and the AquaSox fell 8-2 to the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes.

For five scoreless innings Butler had the Volcanoes floundering at the plate. But after he left Salem-Keizer jumped all over the Everett bullpen, scoring four runs in the sixth and seventh innings and turning a pitcher’s duel into a blowout.

“It was an excellent game for five innings,” Everett manager Dave Myers said. “Butler threw the ball like we wanted, he was very impressive. But it kind of went downhill after that.”

Matt Weston went 3-for-4 with a homer and three RBI and Mike McBryde homered for the second straight night for Salem-Keizer (33-17). The Volcanoes, who lead the West Division, are now a commanding nine games ahead of the AquaSox (24-26).

Dean Zorn went 2-for-4 to lead the AquaSox offense.

Butler was phenomenal. The 18-year-old left-hander confounded the Volcano batters as he continually found the inside corner with his fastball, then put them away with his breaking ball. Only one Salem-Keizer batter managed to put a dent in Butler – Weston’s double off the wall in the second – during his five innings. He walked three and struck out seven.

Butler has now allowed just five hits in 172/3 innings with Everett.

“I came out in the first two innings and I was huffing and puffing,” Butler said. “I take a long time to warm up and I cut it a little too close, so I wasn’t settled in yet. But I got through the first two innings all right, and for the last three innings I took a lot of deep breaths and tried not to think too much.”

However, despite his brilliance, Butler left with the game scoreless. And as effective as Butler was, his replacement Justin Souza was equally ineffective. Souza (2-1) gave up eight runs in one-plus innings as the Volcanoes lit him up like the Las Vegas strip.

“(Butler) was throwing a good game, he was throwing strikes,” Weston said. “We were just trying to get to the bullpen. Once we got to the pen we were able to take advantage of the situation.”

Brett Pill got things started against Souza in the sixth with a one-out single. Weston followed by launching a ball over the homer porch in right field and out of the stadium, ending the shutout bid.

Robert Davis got things going again for the Volcanoes, following Weston’s homer with another single. Then with two outs, McBryde hit a ball even harder than Weston, lining a shot out to left center that left the stadium in a hurry, giving Salem-Keizer a 4-0 lead.

“Any time you do something like that it brings momentum to the team,” Weston said about scoring immediately after Butler left. “You’re able to play a little more relaxed. Get a big lead and then give the ball to the bullpen.”

Everett got one back in the bottom of the sixth on Kevin Reynolds’ RBI double.

However, the Volcanoes struck for four more in the top of the seventh. The first three batters reached base to load the bases, and Pill followed by ripping a double off the right-center wall, bringing home two runs and chasing Souza.

Rollie Gibson relieved Souza and was immediately greeted by an RBI single by Weston. Another run scored when right fielder Carlos Peguero dropped a routine fly, and the game was effectively over at 8-1.

Salem-Keizer starter Kevin Pucetas (3-1) was nearly as effective as Butler. He also surrendered just one hit in the first five innings before giving up as run in the sixth. In 51/3 innings Pucetas gave up four hits, one walk and struck out two.