Friday the 13th Unlucky for Trappers
June 14, 2003 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Edmonton Trappers News Release
Left fielder Mike Edwards was 2-for-5 with a grand slam and six RBI as the Sacramento River Cats downed the Edmonton Trappers 8-6 Friday night at TELUS Field. The River Cats, who lead the South Division and have the best record in the PCL at 44-25, have won six of the nine games played between the two clubs and three of the five contests between them at TELUS Field. The Trappers have otherwise had a successful season at home going 14-9. Edmonton has dropped four of their last five games and are now four games below .500 for the first time since May 30. The Trappers rallied several times, overcoming an early 4-0 deficit and coming within striking distance after being down 8-4. Edmonton is now 12-21 against clubs who currently have winning records. The two opponents on this homestand, Sacramento and Las Vegas, have the two best records in the Pacific Coast League. Edmonton and Sacramento will continue this four-game series on Saturday night at TELUS Field.
For the second consecutive night Edmonton's starting pitcher struggled in the first inning. Left-hander Scott Downs (6-4) allowed the River Cats to jump out to an early lead. Esteban German led off with an infield single and moved to second on a bunt single by Bobby Crosby. Jason Grabowski followed with a double to right field that plated German and moved Crosby to third. Dave McCarty then singled through the left side, scoring Crosby and moving Grabowski to third. Downs walked Graham Koonce to load the bases and Edwards followed with a two-run single that scored Grabowski and McCarty. The Trappers battled back in the bottom of the second with two runs off Sacramento starter Jason Duchscherer (4-2). Joe Vitiello started the inning with a double to the gap in right-center and Matt Cepicky followed with a triple to center. Valentino Pascucci drew the Trappers to within two runs of the lead with a sacrifice fly that plated Cepicky. Edmonton tied the game in the bottom of the third as Terrmel Sledge scored Peter Bergeron with a double to left and Vitiello followed with a single to right field that scored Sledge.
The River Cats entered the night with a league-leading 311 walks as a team. They drew eight walks on Friday night, but probably none more important than the free passes that McCarty and Koonce drew in the fifth inning to load the bases for Edwards, who deposited a Downs pitch over the wall in left-center for his fifth home run of the season. Crosby had opened the inning by reaching on an infield single. It was the second grand slam allowed by the Trapper pitching staff this season. Sledge led off the eighth inning with a single to right-center, but was erased when Vitiello grounded into a fielder's choice. Cepicky then singled to right to put runners on first and second and Pascucci drew a walk to load the bases. Chad Harville took over for Duchscherer at that point and got Randy Knorr to pop out, but Scott Hodges came through with a two-run single to draw the Trappers to within two runs of the lead. Harville got Jake Thrower to ground out to end the eighth, but got into trouble in the ninth when he walked Sledge with two out. Vitiello hit a tapper back to the mound, ending the game and giving Harville his ninth save.
Highlights:
Trappers: Are 16-12 at home.began an eight-game homestand that will see the top two clubs in the PCL visit TELUS Field.are 12-21 against clubs with winning records.are 8-23 when the opposition scores the first run, including a 5-9 mark at TELUS Field. Sacramento leads the season series, 6-3.Sacramento leads the All-Time series between the two clubs, 21-20.
CF Peter Bergeron: Was 3-for-5 with a double and a run scored to extend his hitting streak to four games.is 9-for-17 (.529) in that span.is 13-for-30 (.433) with three RBI and six runs scored in his last 11 games, May 31-June 13.is batting .350 this season.
Alumni Report:
RHP Jason Simontacchi (STL) @ NYY: Was the losing pitcher as the Yankees downed the Cardinals 5-2, giving Roger Clemens his 300th career victory.allowed home runs to Hideki Matsui, Ruben Sierra and Raul Mondesi.allowed five runs in 6.0 innings.
Pacific Coast League Stories from June 14, 2003
- Late Arkansas rally does in Express - Round Rock Express
- Late-Inning Barrage Lifts Beavers to 10-1 Win over Isotopes - Portland Beavers
- Zephyrs Take Two from Sky Sox - New Orleans Baby Cakes
- Young Goes Distance as Sox Win - Colorado Springs Sky Sox
- Beavers Can't Catch up to Isotopes - Portland Beavers
- Friday the 13th Unlucky for Trappers - Edmonton Trappers
- Houlton, power surge lead Express to win - Round Rock Express
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