Chavez homers, Gonzalez sharp as River Cats edge Portland

Published on May 28, 2008 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Portland Beavers News Release


PORTLAND, Ore. - Eric Chavez hit the second home run of his major league rehab assignment and Gio Gonzalez pitched five shutout innings as the Sacramento River Cats defeated the Portland Beavers 3-2 Wednesday night at PGE Park.

Chavez, currently on Oakland's 60-day disabled list due to a back injury, is batting .367 (11-for-30) in nine games with the River Cats (33-20), who snapped Portland's three-game winning streak.

Gonzalez (2-2), who is rated as the top pitching prospect of the Athletics, rebounded from his worst start of the year to pick up his second win in his last three assignments. Gonzalez, who gave up 10 runs and 10 hits in a no-decision against Tucson in his last start May 23, limited the Beavers (27-24) to two hits and two walks to go with seven strikeouts Wednesday night.

Brad Ziegler notched his eighth save and Travis Buck was 3-for-3 with walk for Sacramento.

Despite a quality start, his third in a row and seventh of the season, and a season-high eight strikeouts, Portland's Josh Geer (4-5) took the loss, yielding three runs, seven hits and a pair of walks in seven innings.

The River Cats got a solo blast from Chavez, a single from Buck and an RBI double from Casey Rogowski as they built a 2-0 lead in the third.

Kevin Melillo led off the seventh with a double to center, moved to third on a fly out and scored on a sac fly to deep center by Jeff Fiorentino.

The Beavers made it interesting in the bottom of the eighth, getting a two-out, RBI double from Peter Ciofrone and a run-scoring single from Chase Headley to trim the deficit to a run.

The Beavers and River Cats meet in the third game of their series Thursday night at 7:05 p.m.

NOTES: The all-time series between the Beavers and River Cats is tied, 51-51 ... Vincent Sinisi, who was reinstated from the disabled list on Tuesday, made his season debut as a pinch-hitter for Portland in the ninth ... the Beavers are 9-6 in one-run games.

Beavers Game File WEDNESDAY'S GAME: Sacramento 3, Beavers 2 WINNING PITCHER: Gonzalez (2-2) LOSING PITCHER: Geer (4-5) SAVE: Ziegler (8) HOME RUNS: Chavez (2) THURSDAY'S GAME: Sacramento (Brad Knox: 4-1, 3.98) at Portland (Dirk Hayhurst: 0-0, 4.41), 7:05 p.m.; televised live on FSN, live audio broadcast on KKAD AM-1550 and www.portlandbeavers.com. THURSDAY'S PROMOTION: It's One-Hit-Wonder Night on a Miller Lite Thursday. Thursday's showdown between the Beavers and River Cats will be televised live on FSN.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from May 28, 2008


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