Homer-filled sixth sparks Beavers' 8-4 win over Stingers

Published on April 25, 2004 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Portland Beavers News Release


SALT LAKE CITY - The Beavers flashed a little power to back yet another solid pitching effort Sunday afternoon.

Jon Knott, Yamid Haad and Rico Washington each hit home runs in the sixth inning to break a tie game and lead Portland to its third straight win with an 8-4 victory over the Salt Lake Stingers at Franklin Covey Field.

Knott's two-out, solo shot broke a 1-1 tie and opened the door for five runs in the inning. The Beavers (8-10) rattled off five straight extra-base hits against Salt Lake starter Jason Middlebrook, including back-to-back home runs by Haad and Washington, and took a 6-1 lead. Alex Fernandez and Joe Gerber had doubles in the inning.

Haad, who doubled home Gerber in the second to begin the scoring, and Knott, who added a two-run double in the ninth inning, finished with three RBIs apiece.

Chris Oxspring (3-0) was steady through the first five innings before issuing back-to-back walks to begin the sixth. The right-hander, who had his string of 12.1 straight scoreless innings snapped by allowing a run in the third, gave up three runs (2 earned) on six hits in his fourth Triple-A start.

Blaine Neal relieved Oxspring in the sixth and Mike Bynum worked the final two innings for his first save of the year.

Alfredo Amezaga, Adam Riggs and former Beaver Alex Pelaez each had two hits for the Stingers, who have lost five straight.

Down 1-0, Salt Lake (11-7) tied the game in the bottom of the third. Riggs singled home Jake Thrower to break Portland's string of scoreless innings at 23.

The Stingers later cut into Portland's five-run lead by plating two in the bottom of the sixth on RBI singles by Pelaez and Gary Johnson.

Thrower scored for a second time on Robb Quinlan's infield single in the ninth.

Middlebrook (1-1), a former Beaver who made 22 starts with the team in parts of two seasons, was tagged with his first loss after giving up all six runs on eight hits in 5.2 innings. He struck out seven.

The Beavers and Stingers continue their series Monday night at 5:30 p.m. (Pacific).

NOTES: It was the first time the Beavers hit back-to-back home runs this season ... all eight Beavers' wins have come when they score first ... Oxspring, who has won his last three starts, is the first Portland pitcher to three wins ... the three home runs for Portland was the most since Xavier Nady, Washington and Haad went deep Aug. 25, 2003 vs. Tacoma ... the home runs by Nady and Washington in that game were back-to-back, the last time the Beavers accomplished the feat until Sunday ... Salt Lake stranded 11 runners ... Portland struck out 11 times at the plate, a new season-high ... the Beavers are now three games behind the first-place Stingers in the North Division ... Gerber was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI ... each of the Beavers' previous three wins were shutouts.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from April 25, 2004


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