Memphis miscues open door for Beavers win in ninth

Published on May 14, 2004 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Portland Beavers News Release


MEMPHIS - Just as it appeared the Beavers were on their way to yet another one-run loss in Memphis, they finally got a break.

Two Redbirds' errors led to four unearned runs in the top of the ninth inning as Portland erased a one-run deficit in the frame and avoided a sweep in the four-game series with an 8-5 win Friday night.

Humberto Quintero doubled twice-including one that scored the winning run in the ninth-and was one of three Beavers with two RBIs on the night. Jose Nieves and J.J. Furmaniak also had two hits and two runs driven in for Portland, which won at AutoZone Park for the first time since July 17, 2001.

The Beavers (17-19) lost the first three games of the series by one run and had lost nine straight in Memphis. Friday's victory also snapped a five-game road-losing streak.

John Mabry was 2-for-4 with his third home run of the series and three RBIs for the Redbirds, who were limited to five hits.

Ben Petrick and Alex Fernandez reached base on fielding errors in the ninth. Yamid Haad's RBI single to left scored Petrick to tie the game at 5-5. Quintero's two-out double gave the Beavers their first lead of the game and Furmaniak padded that advantage with a two-run double to center off Chad Paronto (4-2).

The Beavers had their fair share of trouble in the field as well. An error by Furmaniak and a wild pitch by starter Dennis Tankersley allowed the Redbirds (17-17) to take a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first thanks to a pair of unearned runs.

Bernie Castro's error in the eighth led to an unearned run in the bottom of the eighth as Memphis took a 5-4 lead.

Portland answered with a two-out double by Nieves in the fourth that scored Fernandez and Henri Stanley to knot things.

Mabry gave Memphis its second lead with a two-run homer off Tankersley in the fifth.

Castro had an RBI single in the seventh and Quintero's double in the eighth scored Fernandez for the second tie of the game.

Memphis reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the eighth when Mike Bynum (2-3) issued a bases-loaded walk to Brian Hunter.

Bart Miadich, who blew a save on Wednesday afternoon, gave up a two-out hit and a walk in the bottom of the ninth but picked up his eighth save of the campaign, tying him for the league lead.

The Beavers travel by bus to Nashville on Saturday to begin a four-game series with the Sounds, who were rained out on Friday.

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Pacific Coast League Stories from May 14, 2004


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central