Pickford Beats his Old Team

August 5, 2003 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Portland Beavers News Release


PORTLAND, Ore. - Kevin Pickford worked eight innings to beat his former team and Brian Dallimore went 3-for-4 with three RBIs as the Grizzlies defeated the Portland Beavers 8-5 Monday night in front of 5,616 at PGE Park.

Pickford (9-7), who pitched in Portland last season, entered the ninth with a chance at his first complete game of the year but gave up back-to-back singles before being lifted in favor of Manny Aybar, who picked up his 15th save. Pickford allowed five runs (four earned) on six hits and five walks.

The Beavers loaded the bases on three consecutive no-out singles in the bottom of the ninth, but could only manage one run.

Dallimore, who tripled on the game's first pitch and was also hit by a pitch, helped Fresno regain the lead with a two-run single in the sixth and added another RBI single in the eighth to help give the Grizzlies (46-70) their second straight over the Beavers (57-60).

Portland has now lost five of its last seven and fell four games back of first-place Edmonton in the Pacific Coast League North Division with the loss.

Carlton Loewer took the defeat, allowing five runs (four earned) on six hits in his 5.1 innings.

The Beavers committed three errors in the game while Fresno had two.

For the third straight game, the Grizzlies took a first-inning lead on the Beavers. Dallimore tripled to lead off the game and scored two pitches later on Marvin Benard's RBI single to left.

Donaldo Mendez' two-out error kept the second inning alive, enabling Pickford to poke an RBI single into the center field, scoring Craig Kuzmic to make it 2-0.

Jason Bay drew a walk and stole second to lead off the bottom of the second. Rich Gomez plated Bay with a sharp single to center, cutting the deficit to 2-1. Gomez stole second and came around to tie the game on a two-out RBI single to center by Loewer (7-4).

The Grizzlies regained a 3-2 lead in the fourth when Francisco Santos, who singled to lead off the frame, dashed home from third base after Jason Ellison got into a rundown between first and second.

Bernie Castro had a run-scoring double and Khalil Greene gave the Beavers their first lead at 4-3 with an RBI sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fourth.

The lead changed hands again in the top of the sixth. Dallimore made it 5-4 with a bases-loaded two-run single to center with two outs off Portland reliever Kevin Walker, who spelled Loewer earlier in the inning.

Fresno took a 6-4 lead in the eighth when Guillermo Rodriguez's RBI single plated Ellison. Dallimore's single to center made it 7-4 and the Grizzlies added an insurance run in the ninth.

The Grizzlies had 12 hits in the game.

The two teams conclude their series Tuesday night at PGE Park.

NOTES: A group of Beavers players, coaches and front-office personnel will be making a visit to the Shriners Children's Hospital in Portland from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday ... Khalil Greene drew a first-inning walk Monday night, marking the fourth straight game he has walked ... Jason Bay, who drew three base on balls in the game, has walked and scored a run in each of his last six games ... Tagg Bozied is hitless in 13 at-bats in the series and grounded into a bases-loaded double play in the bottom of the ninth.



Pacific Coast League Stories from August 5, 2003


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