Beavers piece together 4-2 win

Published on May 27, 2004 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Portland Beavers News Release


PORTLAND, Ore. - Jose Nieves had a home run and two RBIs and five Portland pitchers limited Omaha to four hits in the Beavers' 4-2 victory over the Royals at PGE Park Wednesday night.

Mike Bumstead, pitching in place of scheduled starter Brian Sweeney who was held back, was perfect in his two innings of work to start the game, despite pitching for the third straight day after joining the Beavers from Class A Lake Elsinore on Monday.

After an emergency start by Tim Byrdak and using five pitchers on Tuesday night, the shorthanded Beavers (22-25) again needed the most out of their bullpen Wednesday. Matt Hampton and Blaine Neal each pitched a pair of innings following Bumstead. Eddie Oropesa worked the scoreless seventh and Bart Miadich entered in the eighth and fought out of a jam in the ninth for his 10th save.

Neal (4-2) was credited with his second win in three days.

Nieves hit his second home run in two nights, smacking a solo home run in the bottom of the first for a 1-0 Portland lead.

The Beavers stretched their lead to 4-0 in the third. Bernie Castro sliced a one-out single into left field before stealing second and moving to third on an overthrow by catcher Paul Phillips. He scored on Nieves' single to center. Xavier Nady's ground-rule double was then followed by a two-run single to right by Alex Fernandez.

Jed Hansen led off the fourth with a double to left and Tony Graffanino followed with a two-run home run that narrowly cleared the wall in left field and trimmed the Royals' deficit to 4-2.

The Royals (19-28) put runners on first and second with no outs in the ninth against Miadich, but the reliever struck out Graffanino, got Jarrod Patterson to line out to left, and coaxed a sharp ground out from Calvin Pickering, Tuesday night's hero.

Jamey Wright (6-3) gave up all four runs on seven hits in 7.0 innings for the Royals.

The Beavers wrap up their series with Omaha on Thursday night at 7:05 p.m.

NOTES: Castro's stolen base in the third was his first since May 5 ... Nieves has home runs in back-to-back games. He had two home runs total in 2003, with those coming in back-to-back contests as well ... despite flying out deep to right field, Jon Knott had a 10-game hit streak come to an end by going 0-for-3 with a walk ... Miadich's save was the Beavers' first since May 16 ... wearing an "ugly sweater" gets fans $3.00 off a general admission ticket to Thursday's series finale.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from May 27, 2004


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