Bears Score Eight Runs and Need Them All in Win over Volcanoes - SWX Right Now-Sports for Spokane, CdA, Tri-Cities, WA

By Yakima Bears

        The Yakima Bears won 8-7 over the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes Wednesday night at Volcanoes Stadium in Keizer, Oregon. The win gave the Bears a three-game winning streak for the first time this season.
        The Bears scored three runs in the first with RBI-singles from Jimmy Comerota and Shaun Cooper, and a sacrifice fly from Joe Loftus. After the Volcanoes trimmed the lead to one run going in to the third inning the Bears scored again on a double from Comerota.
        Bears starting pitcher Blake Perry responded well after the two early runs by the Volcanoes. Perry, who eventually earned the win to improve to 2-0 in the Northwest League this season, allowed two runs (only one earned) in six innings. The bullpen started strong, as Frank Santana and Victor Capellan each pitched a scoreless inning while the Bears offense extended the lead.
        Danny Poma plated Mark Ginther with a single in the seventh inning, after Ginther had led off the inning with a double. Cooper tripled in the eighth inning to drive in Comerota, who had reached on a single. In the ninth inning, after a one-out walk by Steven Rodriguez, Poma hit a two-run home run.
        The Bears needed all those runs, as Blake Forslund came on in the ninth and was eventually charged with five runs without retiring a batter. RJ Hively saved the day by getting the final three outs and stranding a runner at third in his second save performance of the season.
        Three Bears batters had multi-hit games, with Comerota's 3-for-4 performance leading the way. Comerota hit a double, scored twice, and had two RBIs. Cooper went 2-for-3 with a walk, a double, and two RBIs. Poma finished 2-for-4 with his second home run of the season and three RBIs.
        The Bears are now 16-10 and currently hold a three-game lead in the Northwest League's East Division over the Tri-City Dust Devils, who lost Wednesday. The Bears continue the eight-day road trip with game two of the five-game series in Keizer Thursday. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35. Bears right-handed pitcher Kyle Owings is expected to start against right-handed pitcher Joan Gregorio of the Volcanoes.