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Carson's pair of blasts lead home run barrage

August 26, 2009 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Portland Beavers News Release


WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Matt Carson had two homers and five RBIs and Gregorio Petit went 4-for-4 as the Sacramento River Cats slugged their way to a 10-7 win over the Portland Beavers on Tuesday night at Raley Field.

Carson belted a two-run homer in the first off Beavers starter Josh Geer and later added a three-run shot off Rocky Cherry to pick up his third five-RBI game of the season. Travis Buck chipped in with a solo shot and Aaron Cunningham tallied three hits for the River Cats (81-48), who dodged what would have been their first sweep in over three years.

Valentino Pascucci went 4-for-5 with a homer and four RBIs for Portland and Edgar Gonzalez and Chad Huffman also homered for the Beavers (57-74). Pascucci hit a pair of RBI singles in the first and third innings before his two-run homer in the fifth.

The River Cats pulled away with a five-run fourth and did not look back.

Shawn Chacon (8-4) gave up five runs on seven hits and three walks but left with a 10-5 lead after five innings.

Geer (2-4) had his shortest Triple-A outing of the year, lasting only 3 2/3 innings and allowing six runs, including two homers.

Already down 1-0 in the first, Carson's two-run homer - his 20th of the season and first of the game - gave Sacramento their first lead.

Gonzalez, who joined the Beavers on a major league rehab assignment Tuesday, connected on his first Triple-A homer since May 9, 2008, with a solo shot in the second.

Buck led off the second with a solo homer for Sacramento, but Pascucci's second RBI single of the night in the third inning tied it at three for Portland.

The River Cats pulled away with a five-run fourth inning. With one out in the inning, Petit singled home Buck and Geer was replaced by Cherry one batter later. Carson then smashed a three-run homer to left, scoring Petit and Adrian Cardenas. Cherry issued a walk to Brett Wallace, gave up a single to Cunningham and followed it with a pair of wild pitches as Sacramento took an 8-3 lead to the fifth.

The Beavers used Pascucci's two-run homer in the fifth to get within three, but Cardenas and Petit scored on a fielder's choice coupled with a throwing error by catcher Yamid Haad to put Sacramento up 10-5.

Brad Kilby, in relief of Chacon, loaded the bases in the sixth with one out and walked Mike Baxter to bring in a run. However, Kilby settled down to strike out the Beavers' 3-4 hitters, Huffman and Pascucci, to end the inning.

Huffman led off the ninth inning with a solo homer to right-center, his team-leading 19th of the season.

Danny Putnam, a former River Cat who started the game in right field for Portland, pitched a scoreless eighth inning, surrendering a hit and a walk.

The Beavers return home to open a five-game series with the Tacoma Rainiers on Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. (Pacific) at PGE Park.



Pacific Coast League Stories from August 26, 2009


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