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Geer Impresses Again; Beavers Secure Opening Day Victory

April 10, 2009 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Portland Beavers News Release


FRESNO, Calif. - Starter Josh Geer was impressive on Opening Day for the second straight year, Emil Brown tallied three hits and Craig Stansberry added a two-run double as the Portland Beavers opened the 2009 campaign with a 6-1 victory over the Fresno Grizzlies Thursday night at Chukchansi Park.

Geer (1-0) limited the Grizzlies to just one run and three hits over six strong innings to help the Beavers (1-0) win their second straight season opener and their third in the last four years. Last season, Geer held Fresno to a run on one hit in seven innings of work as Portland went on to beat the Grizzlies 8-4 in the opener.

Eliezer Alfonzo, who played parts of the last four seasons with Fresno, collected two hits, an RBI and a run scored for the Beavers, who out-hit Fresno 11-3.

With the Beavers trailing 1-0, Kyle Blanks reached on a three-base error in the second inning and scored when Brown lofted a sac fly to right. Two innings later, Portland took its first lead of the season as Alfonzo's bases-loaded fly out plated Will Venable from third.

The Beavers upped their lead in the fifth when Brett Dowdy doubled and later scored when Venable reached on a force out.

Stansberry's two-run double highlighted a three-run eighth; he later scored from third on Peter Ciofrone's bases-loaded groundout that made it 6-1.

Matt Kinney (0-1) allowed three runs (2 earned) and five hits in 4 2/3 innings of work to take the loss for the Grizzlies (0-1).

The Beavers and Grizzlies meet again Friday at 7:05 p.m. in the second of their season-opening, four-game set at Chukchansi Park.

NOTES: The Beavers improved to 3-6 in season openers since their return to the PCL in 2001. However, the win marked the first time in seven tries the Beavers won a season opener on the road in that time ... Geer became the first Portland pitcher to make a second Opening Day start for the club since its return to the PCL in 2001. In those Opening Day starts, he has allowed a combined two runs and four hits in 13 innings to net two victories ... Ciofrone reached on a fifth-inning single, extending his consecutive road on-base streak to 40 games, dating back to the 2008 season ... Portland, which has opened the year with Fresno each of the last three seasons, is 65-48 against the Grizzlies in nine seasons of play ... outfielder Josh Alley, who was added to the roster Wednesday, joined the Beavers in Fresno ... Blanks, Mike Ekstrom, Gabe DeHoyos and Chad Huffman all made their Triple-A debuts for Portland.

Beavers Game File

THURSDAY'S GAME: Beavers 6, Fresno 1

WINNING PITCHER: Geer (1-0)

LOSING PITCHER: Kinney (0-1)

SAVE: None

HOME RUNS: None

FRIDAY'S GAME: Portland (Cesar Ramos: NR) at Fresno (Kevin Pucetas: NR), 7:05 p.m.; tape-delayed (9:30 p.m.) audio broadcast on KKAD AM-1550 and www.portlandbeavers.com.



Pacific Coast League Stories from April 10, 2009


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