Bozied clubs Beavers to 5-3 win

June 5, 2004 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Portland Beavers News Release


PORTLAND, Ore. - Tagg Bozied hit a pair of two-run homers and the Portland Beavers ended a three-game losing streak with a 5-3 victory over the Fresno Grizzlies at PGE Park Friday night.

The Beavers had their largest home crowd of the season, drawing 10,779 for "Honoring Education Night" and the fireworks show that followed the game.

Tim Byrdak, making his second start for the Beavers, earned the win with 6.0 innings of solid work. Byrdak (2-0) allowed two runs on five hits.

Bart Miadich worked the ninth for his 12th save for the Beavers, who broke a six-game losing skid to the Grizzlies dating back to the 2003 season.

Portland, which was held to two runs over the first three games of its series with Fresno, broke out by scoring all five of their runs on 10 hits over the first four innings.

Bozied got the scoring started in the bottom of the first with a two-run blast to left, his fourth home run of the season.

Portland (26-30) manufactured a run in the second. Rico Washington led off the frame with a single up the middle and was pushed to second on a sac bunt from Byrdak. Bernie Castro then laid down a perfect bunt single before Freddy Guzman's looping single to shallow left scored Washington. The Beavers later loaded the bases with one out in the inning, but starter Ryan Jensen got Bozied to fly out to short and induced a groundout from Alex Fernandez.

Considering the Beavers' poor showing in the first three games of series with the Grizzlies, Saturday's quick start was all the more impressive. Portland complemented its early 3-0 lead with sharp pitching and stellar defense, with Byrdak retiring the side in the first and the Beavers turning a double play in each of the next two innings.

The Grizzlies, who had a six-game winning streak halted, were able to dip into Portland's lead in the fourth, however, as Lance Niekro singled and scored a run on an RBI groundout from Tony Torcato; Craig Kuzmic's single up the middle then scored Dave Doster, who earlier doubled to left.

Pinch-hitter Francisco Santos had a two-out single to right to score Kuzmic in the seventh to get the Grizzlies (26-30) to within 5-3.

Jensen (4-3) gave up five runs on 10 hits in the loss.

The Beavers' homestand continues Saturday night when they open a four-game series with the Tucson Sidewinders at PGE Park. First pitch is 7:05 p.m.

NOTES: Bozied's home run in the first was his first base hit at PGE Park this season after going hitless in his first 14 home at-bats. Bozied joined Xavier Nady and Jon Knott (2) as Beavers with two home runs in a game this season ... the Grizzlies intentionally walked Bozied in the sixth ... the fireworks show was the second of six this season for the Beavers ... Guzman stole his ninth base in eight games since joining the Beavers last week ... Bobby Scales, who usually plays the infield, made an impressive diving catch on Ellison's liner to left field in the fifth ... Ellison returned the favor with a spectacular running catch of a deep fly ball by Humberto Quintero in the seventh ... Portland is 10-4 in series finales ... the Beavers' PGE Park mates, the Portland Timbers, improved to 6-0 with a 2-1 win at Charleston on Friday.



Pacific Coast League Stories from June 5, 2004


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