Sledge on Torrid Streak, Leads Trappers Past Beavers

August 20, 2003 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Edmonton Trappers News Release


Right fielder Terrmel Sledge was 2-for-4 with three RBI as the Edmonton Trappers trounced the Portland Beavers 8-3 Tuesday night at PGE Park in Portland. With the win the Trappers remain ½ game behind the Salt Lake Stingers in the North Division pennant race. The third-place Beavers are 3 ½ games behind Salt Lake. Sledge is batting .533 (16-for-30) with six runs scored, two home runs and 11 RBI in his last eight games. He began the night among the league leaders in seven different categories and now leads the Trappers with 80 RBI. Edmonton has dominated the season series with Portland thus far, winning six of the eight games played between the two clubs. The Trappers last four wins by the Beavers have all been by five or more runs. Edmonton has outscored Portland 46-24 this season. Overall the Trappers have won four of their last six games. There are 13 games remaining on the Trappers schedule, all against the Stingers and Beavers. Edmonton and Portland will continue this five-game series on Wednesday night at PGE Park.

It didn't take long for the Trappers to get to Portland starter Dennis Tankersley (7-11) on Tuesday night. The right-hander walked Peter Bergeron to start the game and then walked Valentino Pascucci and Matt Cepicky with two out in the frame to load the bases for Scott Hodges, who singled into center field, scoring Bergeron and Pascucci. Edmonton tacked on two more runs in the second inning. Starting pitcher Britt Reames (5-13) singled with one out in the frame and advanced to second on a base hit by Bergeron. Luis Figueroa singled to load the bases and Sledge followed with a base hit up the middle that plated Reames and Bergeron to give Edmonton a 4-0 lead. They made it 6-0 in the third inning. This time it was Hodges getting the ball rolling with a triple to right center. Tankersley then hit Randy Knorr and Anthony Medrano with pitches to load the bases. With one out Bergeron delivered a two-run double down the left field line that scored Hodges and Knorr.

Reames cruised through the first four frames, limiting the Beavers to just one hit in that span. With two out in the fifth inning right fielder Alex Fernandez took Reames deep over the wall in right-center field for his 10th home run of the season. Edmonton responded by getting that run right back in the top of the sixth. Reames was hit by a pitch to open the inning and advanced to second when Bergeron reached on an error by third baseman Rico Washington. Figueroa singled to load the bases for Sledge, who hit a sacrifice fly, plating Reames with the Trappers' seventh run. Edmonton scored again in the seventh inning to take a seven-run advantage. Knorr reached on an infield single and moved to second when Medrano drew a walk. Reames was safe on a fielder's choice, Medrano moved up a base and Knorr advanced to third on an error by the pitcher, Kevin Walker. Bergeron then plated Knorr with a sacrifice fly. Portland capped the scoring in the bottom of the seventh with two runs. Jason Bay doubled to leadoff the inning, Tagg Bozied singled and Wiki Gonzalez walked to load the bases. Fernandez reached on an infield single, which allowed Bay to score. Tim Drew then replaced Reames and walked Xavier Nady with two out, forcing home Bozied with the final run of the contest.

Highlights:

Trappers: Are 29-35 on the road...are 9-9 on the road since the All-Star break...are 15-20 since the All-Star break...are 26-36 in games decided by more than three runs...trail the North Division-leading Salt Lake Stingers by ½ game...the Beavers are in third place, three games behind the Trappers...are 20-15 vs. the North...the final 22 games of the season are against the North...the Trappers are 4-5 so far during that stretch...Edmonton leads the season series, 6-2...Edmonton leads the all-time series, 26-14.

RF Terrmel Sledge: Was 2-for-4 with three RBI, extending his hitting streak to six games...is 12-for-22 (.545) in that span...leads the Trappers with 18 home runs and 80 RBI...began the night fifth in batting (.319), second in runs scored (83) and second in hits (144)

Alumni Report:

LHP Johan Santana (MIN) @ CLE: Yielded just two runs in 8.0 innings of work as the Twins downed the Indians 8-2 at Jacobs Field...allowed eight hits and one walk, while fanning 10...is 7-3 with a 2.92 ERA...Matthew LeCroy hit a three-run homer, his 14th.



Pacific Coast League Stories from August 20, 2003


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