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Portland takes to the road after 6-2 homestand

April 24, 2009 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Portland Beavers News Release


PORTLAND, Ore. - Sean Kazmar's grand slam with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning propelled the Portland Beavers to a 5-1 victory over the Sacramento River Cats before 4,110 Friday afternoon at PGE Park.

Kazmar's homer - the 30th grand slam in the Beavers' nine seasons back in the Pacific Coast League - banked off the secondary concrete wall in left to break a 1-1 tie and interrupted another frugal day on behalf of both pitching staffs. It also gave the Beavers a split in the four-game series with the defending PCL and Triple-A champions and capped the Beavers' 6-2 opening homestand.

Josh Banks, who was making his second start of the year for the Beavers (10-6), was sharp, striking out four and giving up just two hits and three walks across five scoreless innings in a no-decision.

Despite allowing a game-tying solo homer to Anthony Recker in the top of the eighth, reliever Scott Patterson was credited with the win for the Beavers. Gabe DeHoyos tossed two scoreless innings and Joe Thatcher was perfect in the ninth as Portland held the River Cats (8-8) to just four hits and lowered its league-best team ERA to 2.69.

As was the case Thursday night, run-scoring opportunities were at a premium, at least in the early going. The Beavers finally came through in the bottom of the sixth, when Craig Stansberry's two-out single to right scored Emil Brown, who was 2-for-4 with two runs scored.

The run was unearned against the Sacramento starter Vince Mazzaro, as an earlier throwing error allowed Brown to advance. Mazzaro gave up just the one unearned run, four walks and four hits in six innings.

Jerry Blevins (0-2) took the loss for the River Cats, who got two hits from Eric Patterson in the losing effort.

With their opening homestand complete, the Beavers open a four-game series at Salt Lake on Saturday. First pitch is 5:35 p.m. (Pacific).

NOTES:

Kazmar's home run was his first at the Triple-A level. It was also the first grand slam for a Portland batter since Brett Dowdy's on Aug. 24, 2008, vs. Tacoma ... Friday was the first of four US Bank Art & Science of Baseball School Days at PGE Park ... at 6-2, the Beavers completed their best opening homestand since the 2005 season when they won seven out of eight on the first homestand.

Beavers Game File

FRIDAY'S GAME: Beavers 5, Sacramento 1

WINNING PITCHER: Patterson (1-1)

LOSING PITCHER: Blevins (0-2)

SAVE: None

HOME RUNS: Kazmar (1), Recker (2)

SATURDAY'S GAME: Portland (Cesar Ramos: 1-0, 1.29) at Salt Lake (Anthony Ortega: 1-1, 9.88), 5:35 p.m. (Pacific); live audio broadcast on KPAM AM-860 and www.portlandbeavers.com. Follow the

Beavers on Twitter: www.twitter.com/PortlandBeavers.

-- visit www.portlandbeavers.com --

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