EVERETT — Welington Dotel is back in Everett, and the AquaSox outfielder has just one goal.
He wants to win a ring.
Dotel did his part in helping his team take one step closer toward that achievement Thursday night, homering and driving in what proved to be the decisive runs in Everett’s 5-3 victory over the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes at Everett Memorial Stadium.
Dotel finished 3-for-4 with three RBI as Everett (34-25) closed within three games of Salem-Keizer (37-22) atop the Northwest League’s West Division. The Sox also evened the score in the season series, which sees Everett and Salem-Keizer play 12 times in 16 days. The teams have beaten each other twice.
“Dotel was a little spark of life for us,” Everett manager John Tamargo said.
It was a triumphant return to Everett for Dotel, who rejoined the Sox during their just-completed three-game series in Keizer, Ore. Dotel, who began the season with the Sox, was promoted to Clinton of the mid-Class A Midwest League in July. However, he was returned to Everett to help in the Sox’s pennant drive.
So far he’s played his part.
Every ball Dotel hit Thursday — except perhaps his homer — was right on the money. Even his out was hit hard as his liner in the first was right at center fielder Jose Medina.
And his presence has made a difference. In two games back Dotel is 5-for-7 and the Sox are 2-0. Those victories have been crucial for Everett, keeping the Sox in contact just when it looked like the Volcanoes might run away and hide.
“I want to win the ring,” Dotel said, pledging his full efforts to Everett’s cause. “That would be the best thing I could get in my life, winning the ring.
“I felt good out there,” Dotel added. “I feel good when I can help my team out. That’s the best thing.”
James Jones added a pair of doubles, Chris Kirkland tossed six solid innings, and the Sox made a number of good defensive plays through the middle frames to keep the Volcanoes off the scoreboard. Third baseman Mario Martinez and first baseman Blake Trinkler each made sterling plays in the fourth inning, and the Sox turned double plays in the third, fifth and sixth innings to thwart Salem-Keizer rallies.
“We hit into two key double plays when we had something going, we had second and third with one out in the first inning and didn’t convert it, take your pick in a two-run ballgame,” Salem-Keizer manager Tom Trebelhorn said. “They converted their opportunities better than we did.”
It also doesn’t hurt having a former major-league closer available to pitch the ninth. Chad Cordero, who’s rehabilitating his shoulder in Everett, struck out two in the ninth to record his first save for the Sox.
“That’s good,” Tamargo said about having Cordero, who recorded 128 major-league saves with Montreal/Washington from 2003-07, in the bullpen. “At least you can go out there and relax a little bit. You just have to get that lead going into the ninth.”
It all added up to a win for Kirkland, who wasn’t his sharpest but was the beneficiary of the solid defense through the middle innings. The right-hander gave up six hits and two walks in his six innings, and the former league leader in strikeouts only fanned three. However he allowed just two runs — one earned — in improving to 3-4.
Evan Crawford and Ryan Lollis each had two hits to lead Salem Keizer. Volcanoes starter Chris Gloor allowed all five runs in five innings to suffer his first loss of the season, falling to 5-1.
Everett trailed 2-1 before taking the lead for good in the bottom of the fourth. Jones was on first when Dotel lined a ball to the right-center gap. Balls hit to that part of Everett Memorial Stadium, which has a short porch, often end up as long singles. However, Jones hustled around the bases, catching the Volcanoes napping, and slid home under the throw to tie it. Dotel later scored on Jose Rivero’s infield single to take a 3-2 lead.
The Sox then padded their lead in the sixth. Dotel’s fly to center didn’t appear to be hit that hard, but the ball carried over the fence for a two-run homer, increasing the lead to 5-2.
That proved to be important as the Volcanoes got one back in the seventh when Lollis’ single drove home Caleb Curry to make it 5-3.
The Volcanoes tried to make something happen against Cordero in the ninth when Juan Martinez led off with a single. Curry followed with a grounder to the right side, and it was a close play at first as Curry and Cordero arrived at the bag at the same time. Curry was called out, despite protests from Trebelhorn, and Cordero struck out the final two batters to end the game.
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