Beavers Halt Skid, Hold On To Beat Aces 7-6

Published on May 4, 2009 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Portland Beavers News Release


RENO, Nev. - Brett Dowdy tallied four hits, including a tie-breaking single in the eighth inning, and Emil Brown went 3-for-5 with two doubles as the Portland Beavers held off the Reno Aces 7-6 at Aces Ballpark Sunday afternoon.

The Aces (10-13) had already erased deficits of 1-0 and 5-1 earlier in the game but could not mount a third comeback as the Beavers' bullpen ultimately held off Reno, who had won a season-high three straight games.

Kyle Blanks hit a three-run home run, his fifth of the year, and Dowdy added two RBIs and two runs scored for the Beavers (12-12), who, for the second straight series, needed a win in the series finale to avoid a sweep.

Brandon Watson homered and Trent Oeltjen doubled twice for an Aces team that was seeking its first sweep in team history.

Mike Ekstrom (2-1) gave up two hits in 1 1/3 scoreless innings in relief of Wade LeBlanc.

Jose Marte (0-1) gave up one run on a hit and two walks over 1 2/3 innings to take the loss for Reno.

The Beavers and Aces exchanged runs in the third, with Portland striking first on an Emil Brown double that plated Dowdy. Reno responded on Watson's solo homer in the bottom of the inning to tie it at one.

Portland then touched up Reno starter Travis Blackley for four runs in the fifth, highlighted by Blanks' three-run blast to the railroad tracks behind the left-field fence, giving the Beavers a 5-1 cushion.

But Reno rallied back against LeBlanc, who had allowed just four base runners in the first four frames. The Aces used a run in the fifth and three runs with two outs in the sixth to knot the game at 5-all, with Chris Roberson's two-run double and Oeltjen's pinch-hit RBI double completing the comeback.

After Chad Huffman walked to lead off the eighth and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, Dowdy's two-out bloop single to center gave the Beavers a 6-5 lead.

Portland tacked on a ninth-inning insurance run when Will Venable came home on Jose Lobaton's bases-loaded sacrifice fly.

The extra run proved necessary as closer Greg Burke allowed a ninth-inning run when Oeltjen doubled again and scored on an RBI groundout. Burke then struck out Romero to end the game, notching his fifth save of the year.

LeBlanc allowed five runs (4 earned) for the Beavers on six hits and two walks in 5 2/3 innings.

His counterpart Blackley gave up five runs on eight hits and fanned eight batters across six innings for Reno.

The Beavers and Colorado Springs Sky Sox open up a four-game series at PGE Park, Monday night at 7:05 p.m. (Pacific).

NOTES: Reno outfielder Alex Romero went 10-for-19 in the series, but struck out to end the game Sunday ... seven of the nine batters in Reno's starting lineup entered today's game with batting averages of .300 or better, while the Beavers' lineup featured just one - Kyle Blanks, who was hitting an even .300 when the day began... Dowdy's four hits were the most by a Beaver in a game this season ... Trent Oeltjen's streak of consecutive games with a triple ended at three as he doubled in both at-bats ... Blanks' homer tied him with Will Venable for the club lead with five.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from May 4, 2009


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