Beavers Head Into Break On Strength Of Doubleheader Sweep

Published on July 14, 2008 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Portland Beavers News Release


TUCSON, Ariz. - Paul McAnulty doubled and scored the go-ahead run in extra innings in the nightcap, and Peter Ciofrone hit safely in both contests to push his hitting streak to 14 games as the Portland Beavers completed a doubleheader sweep over the Tucson Sidewinders Sunday evening at Tucson Electric Park.

McAnulty moved to third on a wild pitch and scored from third in the ninth inning of the scheduled seven-inning second game on a sac fly to deep center by Vincent Sinisi in the 2-1 victory. The Beavers (50-46) held on for a 3-2 win over Tucson (40-59) in the first game as they completed their first doubleheader sweep since the 2005 season.

The Beavers, who improved to 21-12 in one-run games, now have a four-day break for the Triple-A All-Star Game. The team returns to action Friday night at PGE Park, taking on the Colorado Springs Sky Sox in the first of a four-game series. First pitch is 7:05 pm.

Sunday's victories also helped the Beavers shave a game-and-a-half off Salt Lake's lead in the North Division heading into the break.

Ciofrone singled and scored from third on a wild pitch as the Beavers grabbed a first-inning lead in the second contest. But Tim Raines Jr. belted a home run on the first pitch delivered by starter Wade LeBlanc in the home half of the first, and the game remained tied over the next seven innings.

McAnulty was 3-for-4 in the second game and Dirk Hayhurst (1-3) picked up the win with two scoreless innings of work. Beavers all-star Edwin Moreno logged his 10th save by closing out the ninth.

Jailen Peguero (4-4) suffered the loss by allowing the go-ahead run in his one inning of work.

Raines reached on a leadoff single, went to second on a sac bunt and later scored on a first-inning RBI single from Josh Whitesell to give Tucson a 1-0 lead in the first game.

Back-to-back doubles from Craig Stansberry and Ciofrone allowed Portland to tie it in the fifth; the Beavers then got a one-out walk from McAnulty and took a 3-1 lead in the inning on an RBI single from Sinisi and a sac fly to center from Justin Huber.

The Beavers allowed an unearned run in the sixth but Justin Hampson and Carlos Guevara teamed to keep the Sidewinders off the board in the seventh to seal the win. Guevara got the save, while Kevin Cameron, making his first major league rehabilitation assignment appearance, pocketed the win with an inning of scoreless relief.

NOTES: Both games of the doubleheader were scheduled for seven innings ... Will Venable, who was 2-for-4 with a triple in the second game, was hitless in the first game to have his hitting streak end at 13 games ... Wednesday's Triple-A All-Star Game will be aired live on KKAD AM-1550 and portlandbeavers.com at 4 p.m. ... four of the eight games on the road trip went extra innings.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from July 14, 2008


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