Beavers Edge Trappers

August 30, 2003 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Edmonton Trappers News Release


Left fielder Bobby Scales was 3-for-5 with a double and two runs scored as the Portland Beavers downed the Edmonton Trappers 4-3 Saturday night at TELUS Field. Scales is 8-for-21 with four doubles in five games against the Trappers this season. One night after the Trappers clinched the North Division crown with a 2-1 victory over the Beavers Portland fought back to win their sixth game in 14 tries against Edmonton this season. For Portland it was only their fifth win in 22 games at TELUS Field over the last three seasons. Edmonton has been playing an extraordinary amount of close games lately and are now 21-17 in one-run affairs after Saturday's loss. They are 36-31 overall at home and are 13-6 in one-run games at TELUS Field. The loss also ended the Trappers season-high six-game winning streak. Edmonton won four of those six games in their final at-bat, but the comeback on Saturday night fell just one run short. The Trappers and Beavers continue this four-game series on Saturday night at TELUS Field. Edmonton will open the best-of-five Pacific Conference Final against the Sacramento River Cats on Wednesday night.

The Beavers offense struggled in the first game of this series on Friday night, producing just one run in a 2-1 loss, but it was a different story early on in Saturday night's contest as Portland struck for three runs in the first inning off Edmonton starter Sun Woo Kim (10-8). Scales led off with a single to center field and advanced to third on back-to-back ground outs. Alex Fernandez drew a walk and stole second to put runners at second and third. Trapper second baseman Jake Thrower then made a great diving stop of a Jon Knott ground ball, but he was unable to get the batter at first and both baserunners came in to score on the play. Rico Washington then singled, advancing Knott to third and Donaldo Mendez followed with a base hit to left field that plated Knott with the third run of the inning. Portland took a four-run lead in the fourth inning with a single run off Kim. With two down Scales doubled down the right field line and Khalil Greene singled, scoring the left fielder from second base.

Edmonton bounced back in the bottom of the fourth inning with two runs off Portland starter Matt Bruback (10-10). Ryan Balfe drew a walk to open the frame and advanced to second on a single by Jeff Bailey. Thrower then singled into center field, scoring Balfe and Scott Sandusky followed with another base hit to center, which plated Bailey with Edmonton's second run. Edmonton narrowed the lead to one run in the fifth inning when Matt Cepicky led off the frame with his seventh home run of the season. Left-hander Alan Webb took over for Bruback in the sixth inning and allowed only two baserunners in two innings of work. Matt Hampton replaced Webb in the eighth inning and yielded a double to Bailey with one out in the frame, but the Trappers were unable to cash in the runner. 2003 Trapper of the Year Terrmel Sledge led off the bottom of the ninth inning with a pinch-hit single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Peter Bergeron. He moved to third on a ground out by Figueroa, but Villafuerte managed to get Cepicky to bounce out to end the game. It was the 12th save of the season for the righty.

Highlights:

Trappers: Are 36-31 at TELUS Field.are the North Division Champions for the second consecutive year.will open the Pacific Conference Final at TELUS Field on Wednesday night.season-high six-game winning streak came to an end.are 21-17 in one-run games, including a 13-6 record at TELUS Field.Edmonton leads the season series, 8-6.Edmonton leads the all-time series, 28-19.

LF Matt Cepicky: Smashed his seventh home run of the season, a solo shot off Portland starter Matt Bruback in the fifth inning.extended his hitting streak to seven games by going 2-for-5.is 12-for-30 (.400) during the streak.has 64 RBI.

Alumni Report:

CF Jim Edmonds (STL) @ CIN: Was 2-for-4 with two runs scored, a double, a home run and four RBI as the Cardinals downed the Reds 6-3.has 34 home runs and 82 RBI.also made a sensational catch over the center-field wall.Cards are 71-64.



Pacific Coast League Stories from August 30, 2003


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