Salem-Keizer catcher Fernando Pujadas sure picked a good time for his first hit of the game.
In the top of the 14th inning, Pujadas took a 2-1 fastball from Emeralds reliever Corey Bostjanic and sent it deep over the left field wall to give the Volcanoes a 5-4 win.
The Volcanoes finished their offensive attack the way it started.
Volcanoes left fielder Craig Massoni hit a towering three-run home run to left field off of Emeralds starting pitcher Tony Wieber that gave Salem-Keizer the early lead.
In a game that stretches 14 innings, every runner is crucial. Earlier in the inning with a runner on first, Volcanoes shortstop Christian Arroyo hit a slow dribbler to Wieber who fielded the ball and elected to throw to second. However, his throw wasn’t in time. Both runners eventually scored on the home run by Massoni.
“People look at the end of the game, but it’s a lot of the little things at the beginning of the game that cause a game to be like that,” Emeralds manager Rob Wine said after the game. “That’s the way this game is.”
In the bottom of the inning, Eugene responded with a home run of its own, a two-run opposite field shot blast by shortstop Franchy Cordero to bring the Emeralds within one run.
After the Volcanoes struck for their fourth run of the game against Wieber, the Emeralds went to work against Salem-Keizer starting pitcher Jason Forjet in the bottom half of the fourth. With runners on first and third and one out, Jose Urena hit a line drive double over the head of Hollick to bring home Marcus Davis and send Trae Santos to third. Jose Ruiz brought home Santos with an RBI groundout to tie the game at four.
The Emeralds missed a major opportunity to take the lead with one out in the bottom of the eighth. After Corder stole second, Davis grounded to Volcanoes reliever Armando Paniaqua who threw ahead of Cordero racing for third. A pickle ensued and Cordero avoided the tag and advanced to third while Davis sneakily made his way to second base. However, a groundout and a strikeout later and the Volcanoes escaped the inning unscathed.
In the bottom of the 12th, Urena led off with a single — the first hit by either team since Arroyo singled up the middle in the top of the seventh.
Trailing 5-4 — following the home run blast from Pujadas — the Emeralds got the tying run in scoring position against Volcanoes reliever Dusten Knight. However, Chase Jensen struck-out to end the ballgame.
Eugene used seven pitchers tonight over the course of 14 innings. Even with all the work, Wine insists that his bullpen is ok for the remainder of the series and the homestand.
“We’re set,” Wine said. “I think at this point we’re building pitchers. Everybody went out and did their job and gave us a couple innings when they needed it. If you had to script out 14 innings, that’s what you would do and that’s what they gave us. We’re ok for tomorrow.”
The Emeralds and Volcanoes will square off for game the final game of the series tomorrow night. The Emeralds will send Adrian De Horta who is 0-1 on the season with a 4.05 ERA. Lefty Andrew Leenhouts will start for Salem-Keizer. Leenhouts is 1-1 thus far with a 4.76 ERA.
Noteworthy:
– Eugene starting pitcher Tony Wieber and Salem-Keizer designated hitter Ryan Jones were teammates at Michigan State. Jones went 0-for-2 against Wieber on the night.
– Cory Spangenberg started at second base for the Emeralds on a rehabilitation assignment. The San Antonio Missions prospect went 1-for-5 with an infield single in the bottom of the first.
– The Emeralds and Volcanoes broke the Northwest League History for most strikeouts in a single game between two teams with 42. The previous league record was 37.
Follow Joseph Hoyt on Twitter @jhoyt42