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Alfonzo's 12th Inning Blast Gives Beavers 2-1 Win

May 18, 2009 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Portland Beavers News Release


METAIRIE, La. - Eliezer Alfonzo hit a tie-breaking solo homer in the top of the 12th and the Beavers bullpen pitched six perfect innings as the Portland Beavers defeated the New Orleans Zephyrs 2-1 in 12 innings at Zephyr Field Monday night.

Alfonzo was one of three Beavers with two-hit games on the night, including Brett Dowdy and Emil Brown. Will Venable added a solo homer for Portland (19-20), who won its first road series since April 9-12, when the Beavers took three of four in Fresno.

The Zephyrs (14-24) managed just three hits, all of which came in the first five innings, to suffer their seventh straight defeat at the hands of the Beavers.

Jon Ellis (5-0) needed only 26 pitches to retire all nine batters he faced and pick up his team-leading fifth win.

Levale Speigner (2-1), who gave up Alfonzo's homer in the 12th, gave up two hits in two innings of work to take the loss.

Arturo Lopez, Ellis and Chris Britton, who earned his first save of the season, held the Zephyrs at bay to give the Beavers their fourth three-hitter of the season.

Buschmann turned in his first quality start of the season, giving the Beavers six strong innings and allowing one run on three hits and striking out six Zephyrs.

Brett Harker, who was making a spot start for the Zephyrs, yielded one run on five hits and struck out four in his four-inning Triple-A debut.

The New Orleans bullpen was nearly as impressive as Portland's, allowing just one run on five hits over eight innings in relief of Harker.

Dowdy doubled and Matt Antonelli singled to start the game, but the Beavers could not score, as Dowdy was thrown out at home by center fielder Brett Carroll on an inning-ending, fly-ball double play.

The Zephyrs took a 1-0 lead when John Raynor doubled leading off the third and scored on a wild pitch by Matt Buschmann.

Venable tied the game in a hurry, knocking the first pitch of the fourth inning over the right field wall for his sixth homer of the year.

The teams remained locked at one until the top of the 12th, when Alfonzo crushed Speigner's 0-1 offering over the 400-foot sign in straight-away center field.

The Beavers attempt a sweep of the Zephyrs in the series finale Tuesday morning at 9:30 a.m. (Pacific).

NOTES: The Beavers will fly home after tomorrow's game and begin an eight-game homestand Thursday at 7:05 p.m., against the Nashville Sounds ... Will Venable's home run was his first since May 1 ... Zephyrs outfielder Michael Ryan left the game in the middle of his fourth-inning at-bat with an undisclosed injury ... the 12-inning contest was the Beavers' longest this season, surpassing an 11-inning loss at Reno May 1 ... Sunday's starting pitcher Cesar Ramos pinch-hit in the top of the 12th inning for the Beavers ... Beavers pitchers retired the final 20 Zephyrs in order ... Chris Britton became the third pitcher in three games to record his first save of the season for Portland ... the Beavers will go for their second sweep of the Zephyrs in as many seasons Tuesday morning.

Beavers Game File

MONDAY'S GAME: Beavers 2, New Orleans 1 (12 innings)

WINNING PITCHER: Ellis (5-0)

LOSING PITCHER: Speigner (2-1)

SAVE: Britton (1)

HOME RUNS: Venable (6), Alfonzo (5)

TUESDAY'S GAME: Portland (Wade LeBlanc: 0-2, 5.34) at New Orleans (Daniel Barone: 2-3, 6.67), 9:30 a.m. (Pacific); live audio broadcast on KKAD AM-1550 and www.portlandbeavers.com. Follow the Beavers on Twitter: www.twitter.com/PortlandBeavers.

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