AquaSox beat Salem-Keizer 8-5, snap 4-game losing streak

Published 10:14 pm Saturday, July 23, 2016

KEIZER, Ore. — It wasn’t easy or pretty, but the Everett AquaSox defeated the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes 8-5 Saturday night to snap a four-game losing streak before 1,949 fans at Volcanoes Stadium.

With the victory Everett (17-19) kept its slim hopes of claiming the Class A Northwest League first-half North Division title alive.

Each team plays two more games before the first half concludes.

Reliever Thomas Burrows struck out the side in the ninth inning while leaving the bases loaded as he recorded the five-out save against the Volcanoes (16-20).

Everett took the lead for good when it scored four runs in the top of the fourth to turn a 2-1 deficit into a 5-2 lead.

A wild pitch plated Nick Thurman before Bryson Brigman’s RBI single scored Jason Goldstein.

Dimas Ojeda scored on an RBI groundout by Eric Filia, and Brigman came home to score on the second wild pitch of the inning.

As they’ve done so many times in the series, the Volcanoes answered in the bottom of the frame as Gio Brusa’s two-out, two-run double cut the lead to 5-4.

Everett added to its advantage when Ojeda led off the sixth with a solo home run.

Bryson Brigman singled, stole second and scored on Donnie Walton’s RBI double.

Walton came home on another wild pitch to push the lead to 8-4.

Chase Compton doubled in Jose Pena as Salem-Keizer cut the deficit to 8-5 in the sixth.

That was the game’s final run as relievers Paul Covelle (2-2) and Thomas Burrows combined for five strikeouts and five hits in 32⁄3 scoreless innings.

The Volcanoes erased a 1-0 deficit when two singles and a walk loaded the bases with no outs.

After a pop-up, Chase Compton was hit by a pitch to force in a run, and Manuel Geraldo drive in another run with a sacrifice fly to take a 2-1 lead.

Thurman’s second home run of the season gave Everett a 1-0 lead in the top of the second.

Brigman and Thurman each finished with two hits and scored twice.

Ojeda had three hits and two runs, and Walton had a pair of hits includind a double.

Ojeda is 4-for-9 in two games since being called up to Everett from the Arizona Mariners.

The series continues tonight at 5.