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Laforest sets PCL grand slam record, Beavers club five homers in victory

August 8, 2007 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Portland Beavers News Release


PORTLAND, Ore. - Pete Laforest clubbed two homers and set a new PCL record by hitting his fifth grand slam of the season, and the Portland Beavers belted a season-high five homers on their way to an 11-4 victory in the final game of a four-game set against the Memphis Redbirds Wednesday afternoon before 7,376 at PGE Park.

It was the sixth multi-homer game of the season for Laforest, who ranks among the league leaders with 29 home runs and is now just three homers away from tying the Beavers' seven-year franchise record (since 2001) for clouts in a season.

By taking thee of the four games in the series, the Beavers, who also got a two-run homer from Mike Epping and back-to-back solo home runs from Peter Ciofrone and Brian Myrow, earned their first series victory since late June and logged their first winning homestand since June 11-17.

Starter Roger Deago (2-2) was effective in six innings of work for the Beavers (49-70), allowing three runs and five hits while striking out three to get his first win as a starter with the club this season.

Memphis starter Mike Parisi (6-10) yielded five runs, including four homers, over six innings in the loss, the Redbirds sixth in their last seven games.

The Redbirds (48-71) took a 2-0 lead in the first inning with RBI singles by Nick Stavinoha and Joe Mather.

Laforest's solo home run cut the Memphis lead in half in the second, but Jarrett Hoffpauir doubled and scored on a sacrifice fly from Tagg Bozied to restore the Redbirds' two-run cushion in the top of the third.

Back-to-back solo homers from Ciofrone and Myrow knotted things at 3-3 in the third, and Epping's two-run shot - his first home run at the Triple-A level - gave Portland a 5-3 lead in the fourth.

Memphis got a run back in the seventh when Hoffpauir's RBI single plated Brendan Ryan from second with two outs.

Keoni Ruth, a first-year pro making his Triple-A debut after being transferred from Class A Eugene earlier in the day, added an RBI double in his first at-bat above Class A in the eighth inning. Ruth later scored on a single by Ciofrone, giving Portland a three-run advantage, and Laforest put the game out of reach with his grand slam to deep right off reliever Troy Cate.

The Beavers enjoy their last off-day of the season on Thursday before beginning a four-game series at Salt Lake Friday night at 6:05 p.m.

NOTES: Pitcher Mike Thompson, optioned to Portland on Tuesday, is expected to join the team in Salt Lake City Friday ... Portland manager Rick Renteria, pitcher Aaron Rakers and hitting coach Jose Castro were all tossed from the game in the seventh ... infielder Frank Menechino assumed third base coaching duties in the absence of Renteria and Castro ... the Beavers have hit back-to-back home runs five times this season.

Beavers Game File

WEDNESDAY'S GAME: Beavers 11, Memphis 4

WINNING PITCHER: Deago (2-2)

LOSING PITCHER: Parisi (6-10)

SAVE: None

HOME RUNS: Laforest 2 (29), Ciofrone (3), Myrow (12), Epping (1)

FRIDAY'S GAME: Portland (Clay Hensley: 2-6, 6.90) at Salt Lake (Pedro Liriano: 4-11, 5.85), 6:05 p.m. (Pacific); live broadcast on KKAD AM-1550 and www.portlandbeavers.com.

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