Early deficit costs Beavers

Published on June 24, 2008 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Portland Beavers News Release


TACOMA, Wash. - Pitcher Andy Baldwin recorded five strikeouts and allowed just one run in eight innings of work and Wladimir Balentein homered for the seventh time this season to help the Tacoma Rainiers hold on to a 4-2 win over the Portland Beavers and round out a four-game series at Cheney Stadium on Tuesday.

Down by four runs late in the contest, Portland attempted another late rally with a home run from Brett Dowdy in the eighth inning and base hits from Will Venable and Tom King to help load the bases in the ninth, but settled for the series split with Tacoma (40-38).

Baldwin (4-4) threw seven shutout innings and allowed just two hits before giving up Dowdy's home run in the eighth inning to pick up his second consecutive win.

Rob Johnson, Brian LaHair and Shawn Garrett each collected two hits and collectively drove in two of the Rainiers four runs on the night.

Brian Myrow recorded to walks and a base hit for the Beavers (40-37), who entered Tuesday's game having won five of their last six games and five of their last seven on the road.

Down 4-0, Dowdy led off the eighth inning with his second home run off the left field foul pole to put the Beavers on the board. In the ninth inning, the Beavers cut Tacoma's lead down to 4-2 when Venable, who reached third base on a pinch hit by King, scored on an error by Garrett.

Portland sent seven players to the plate in the ninth inning before Jared Wells could pick up his 13th save of the season for Tacoma.

The Rainiers took a 3-0 lead in the fourth inning on Balentien's blast off Portland starter Justin Germano (2-3), who took the loss after allowing just three runs on five hits in 5 2/3 innings of work.

Victor Diaz plated Tug Hulett with an RBI double in the seventh inning to lift Tacoma to a 4-0 lead.

An RBI, two-out double by Brian LaHair in the first and a set of doubles by Shawn Garrett and Michael Saunders in the second inning gave the Rainiers an early two-run lead.

The Beavers begin a four-game homestand against the Colorado Springs Sky Sox on Thursday at PGE Park.

NOTES: The run scored by Tacoma's Hulett in the seventh inning broke a string of 16 1/3 scoreless innings from Portland relief pitchers ... King extended his hitting streak to five games with his pinch hit single in the ninth inning.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from June 24, 2008


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