Beavers earn series split with 11-7 win

Published on June 14, 2004 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Portland Beavers News Release


FRESNO, Calif. - Portland scored four runs in the eighth inning to finally wrestle away the lead for good, as the Beavers earned a series split with an 11-7 win over the Fresno Grizzlies Sunday night.

The Beavers, which held two separate leads going into the eighth, got an RBI single from pinch-hitter Bobby Scales, a two-run single from Freddy Guzman and a run-scoring single from Rico Washington to break a 7-7 tie and win their second game in a row.

Ramon Vazquez had a home run and four RBIs to lead the Beavers. Humberto Quintero had three hits and J.J. Furmaniak, who batted .529 in the series, was 2-for-5 with three RBIs.

The Beavers, who tallied 18 hits in a 12-7 win over the Grizzlies on Saturday, responded with 13 hits on Sunday. Their 23 runs scored and 31 hits compiled over the final two games of the series are their largest two-game outputs of the season.

Guzman and Quintero each had three runs scored for the Beavers, who begin a four-game series at Las Vegas on Monday.

Dave Doster led the Grizzlies with three hits and three RBIs.

Portland (30-34), which trailed 3-0 after one inning, took its first lead of the game with a four-run third. After Furmaniak's two-run single, Vazquez hit a two-run homer, his first since joining the Beavers on a major league rehab assignment on Thursday.

The Grizzlies (30-34) tied it at 4-4 in the sixth when Craig Kuzmic stroked a solo home run against reliever Donovan Osborne, who was making his first appearance of the season with the Beavers.

The two teams then traded three-run outbursts in the seventh inning.

Again, it was Furmaniak and Vazquez who teamed up in the rally. Furmaniak's single scored Guzman and Vazquez plated two more with a single to right field to give Portland a 7-4 advantage.

The Grizzlies battled back in the bottom of the inning, however, getting an RBI double from Doster and tying the game when Lance Niekro scored as Furmaniak's error allowed Santos to reach base and Doster scored on a fielder's choice.

Despite allowing four runs (3 earned) and giving up two different leads in his Portland debut, Osborne (1-0) was credited with the win. Dave Aardsma got the loss, allowing three runs in just 0.2 innings on the mound.

Chris Oxspring, who was activated from the disabled list for Sunday's start, worked 2.2 innings in his first appearance since May 1. He gave up three first-inning runs (2 earned).

Doster started the scoring with a two-run double that scored Brian Dallimore. Santos added an RBI single for a 3-0 lead.

Jose Nieves doubled in his final at-bat to extend his current hitting streak to 10 games, matching the Beavers' high for the season.

NOTES: After a season-best three straight errorless games, the Beavers had three miscues in the game ... the Beavers have won five of their last seven at Grizzlies Stadium ... Brandon Puffer, who was optioned to Portland on Friday, is expected to join the Beavers in Las Vegas on Monday ... Matt Bruback, who made 12 starts to begin the season, made his first relief appearance of the season, just the second of his seven-year career. He pitched 2.1 scoreless innings ... Guzman stole his 12th base and is 12-for-12 in stolen base attempts with Portland ... Quintero has a six-game hit streak.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from June 14, 2004


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