Bynum Masterful as Beavers Shutout Trappers

August 23, 2003 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Edmonton Trappers News Release


Left-hander Mike Bynum (7-10) tossed 7.2 shutout innings to lead the Portland Beavers to a 13-0 victory over the Edmonton Trappers Friday night at PGE Park in Portland. Despite the lopsided loss the Trappers remain only ½ game behind the Salt Lake Stingers in the race for the North Division pennant. The Stingers lost 12-7 to the Tacoma Rainiers on Friday night and like the Trappers have now lost their last two games. Portland moves within 2 ½ games of the lead in the North Division with the victory. The masterful performance by Bynum was quite the turnaround for the lefty, who took the loss at PGE Park on July 6th in a 9-1 Edmonton win. The Trappers lead the season series seven games to four, but strangely the last eight games have all been blowouts with the victor winning by four or more runs in each contest. Edmonton has now been shutout seven times this season. The Trappers and Beavers will conclude this five-game series on Saturday night at PGE Park. Edmonton will begin a crucial five-game set in Salt Lake on Sunday night.

The Trappers had an opportunity to get on the board in the first inning off Bynum as second baseman Luis Figueroa led off with a single and advanced to second on Terrmel Sledge's base hit. However, Bynum shut the door striking out Luis Ortiz and Valentino Pascucci to get out of the jam. Portland on the other hand did take advantage of their first chance to plate a run off Trapper starter Ron Chiavacci (4-6). With one out in the first inning shortstop Khalil Greene singled to center field and Jason Bay drew a walk. Bay later advanced to third on an error by Figueroa and Greene scored on the same miscue, giving the Beavers the only run they would need. Right fielder Xavier Nady followed with a single up the middle, scoring Bay with the second Portland run. Chiavacci held the Beavers in check until the fifth inning when they plated four more runs off the right-hander. Greene scored Bobby Scales with a sacrifice fly to get the ball rolling. The rest of the runs in the inning would all score with two out as Tagg Bozied plated Bay with a single, Nady scored Bozied with another base hit and Rico Washington tripled to score Nady.

Chiavacci exited after the Washington triple. He yielded six runs, five earned, on nine hits and one walk, while fanning two in 4.2 innings of work and was charged with the loss, his fifth in a row. Portland put the game away in the eighth inning with seven runs off reliever Richie Lewis. Washington led off with a walk and advanced to second on a single by Alex Fernandez. Yamid Haad followed with a three-run home run to left field. Rich Gomez was hit by a pitch and Greened singled with one down to put runners at the corners for Bay, who singled to left scoring Gomez. Bozied homered to left field, a three-run shot that scored Greene and Bay and made the final 13-0. Bynum got himself into a bit of trouble in the fourth inning, walking Matt Cepicky and Scott Hodges with two out, but he managed to get out of that jam and cruised the rest of the way. He allowed just four hits, three of which were by Figueroa, walked four and struck out three en route to his seventh win of the season. Steve Watkins closed out the win for Bynum with 1.1 shutout innings in relief.

Highlights:

Trappers: Are 30-37 on the road...were shutout for the seventh time...are 10-11 on the road since the All-Star break...are 16-22 since the All-Star break...are 27-38 in games decided by more than three runs...the last eight games between Edmonton and Portland have been decided by more than three runs...trail the North Division-leading Salt Lake Stingers by ½ game...the Beavers are in third place, two games behind the Trappers...are 21-17 vs. the North...Edmonton leads the season series, 7-4...Edmonton leads the all-time series, 27-16.

RF Terrmel Sledge: Infield single in the first inning was one of only four hits in the game for the Trappers...has hit safely in nine consecutive games. ...is 15-for-36 (.417) during that span...has set career-highs with 19 home runs, 82 RBI and 149 hits.

3B Casey Blake (CLE) @ TB: Helped rookie Cliff Lee earn his second victory by going 2-for-4 with a double, a home run and two RBI as the Indians downed the Devil Rays 8-3...homer was his 16th of the campaign, a two-run shot off Joe Kennedy...has 56 RBI.



Pacific Coast League Stories from August 23, 2003


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