Volcanoes smoke Indians, 12-3

KEIZER, Ore. – Salem-Keizer starter Michael Connolly kept the Spokane Indians’ bats in check as the Volcanoes cruised to a 12-3 win at Volcanoes Stadium on Saturday night. Connolly pitched five innings, scattering four hits and striking out four while allowing only one unearned run to earn his first win of the season. The only poor throw Connolly made was on a comebacker to start the fifth inning. The 23-year-old righty fired wide of first, allowing Indians first baseman Diego Cedeno to trot to second. After a ground out pushed Cedeno to third, Dean Long drove home the Indians’ first run with a sacrifice fly to pull Spokane within two at 3-1. Salem-Keizer jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second inning behind a trio of singles, a hit batter and a wild pitch. The Volcanoes responded in the fifth with two runs to chase Indians starter Nick Green (0-1). Reliever John Kukuruda didn’t fare any better for Spokane, allowing five runs in the sixth, capped by Ronnie Jebavy’s second homer of the season. Spokane pushed two consolation runs across in the ninth thanks to a couple wild pitches and an RBI infield single by Carlos Garay.