Ciofrone hits safely in 25th straight game; LeBlanc strong again

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


NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Will Venable and Paul McAnulty hit solo homers, Peter Ciofrone pushed his hitting streak to 25 games and Wade LeBlanc turned in his third solid start in a row as the Portland Beavers held on for a 4-2 victory over the Nashville Sounds Monday night at Herschel Greer Stadium.

Brett Dowdy was 3-for-4 with a walk and an RBI for the Beavers, who have won 10 of their last 14 games.

LeBlanc (9-7) struck out six and allowed just two hits and no walks over five scoreless innings to move to 2-0 with a 1.06 ERA (2er, 17.0ip) and 16 strikeouts over his last three starts. LeBlanc now shares the team lead in victories with fellow starter Cesar Ramos.

Ciofrone, meanwhile, ensured continued life to his record hitting streak by bunting for a base hit in the fifth inning. He is now just two games away from matching the longest hitting streak in the league this year and has hit safely in a league-best 21 road games in a row, also reaching base safely in his last 27 games away from PGE Park.

Edwin Moreno was the last of five pitchers for the Beavers (57-50), logging his 14th save by striking out three of the four batters he faced in the ninth.

Brad Nelson hit his 14th home run and Tony Gwynn Jr. added two hits for the Sounds, who have lost six of their last eight games.

Nashville starter Lindsay Gulin (5-5) went five innings in the loss, allowing seven hits, three runs and four walks while striking out five batters.

The Beavers built a 3-0 lead by the fifth inning. Venable hit a solo homer in the second while Tom King and Dowdy drew bases-loaded walks in the fourth and fifth innings, respectively.

Nashville (42-67) cut into the lead in the sixth, getting a two-run homer from Nelson. But with the Beavers holding on to a 3-2 lead, McAnulty added insurance when he led off the ninth with a home run to right, his third blast since joining Portland prior to the all-star break.

Ciofrone also added a walk and a run scored and is now batting .380 (38-for-100) with six doubles, one triple, four home runs, 12 walks, 20 RBIs and 16 runs scored over his 25-game hitting streak, which is the longest for the Beavers since their return to the Pacific Coast League in 2001.

The Beavers and Sounds conclude their series Tuesday at 10 a.m. (Pacific).

NOTES: Venable has homered in consecutive games three times this year. Venable has hit safely in six straight and in 22 of his last 26 games ... the win improved the Beavers to 4-3 on their current swing through Memphis and Nashville, ensuring them of their sixth straight .500-or-better road trip ... the Beavers out-hit the Sounds 11-6 but left 12 men on base ... Shawn Wooten had a five-game hit streak come to an end as the only Portland starter without a hit in the game.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from July 28, 2008


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