Sweeney anchors second straight shutout

Published on April 25, 2004 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Portland Beavers News Release


SALT LAKE CITY - For the second straight night, a trio of Portland pitchers combined on a five-hit shutout as the Beavers opened up their four-game series with the Salt Lake Stingers with a 5-0 win at Franklin Covey Field Saturday night.

Brian Sweeney saw the bulk of the work, scattering four hits over 6.0 innings to improve to 2-1 on the season. The right-hander struck out four and, with no walks allowed, faced just four batters over the minimum to lower his ERA to 2.63.

The Beavers, who haven't allowed a run in the last 21 innings spread over three games, now lay claim to the best team ERA in the 16-team Pacific Coast League at 3.24.

It is the first time in the team's four years it has posted shutout victories in back-to-back games. Portland limited Tucson to five hits in a 1-0 shutout victory Friday night at PGE Park.

Brandon Puffer worked the seventh and eighth innings and Mike Bynum pitched a perfect ninth for the Beavers (7-10). Since allowed three runs in his season debut, Puffer has gone 11.0 innings without yielding an earned run over his last seven appearances.

The Beavers staff got help from Jon Knott and Alex Fernandez, who both hit home runs.

J.J. Furmaniak, who was transferred to Portland on Saturday, had an RBI double in the fourth inning in his Triple-A debut.

The Beavers got on the board in the second when Rico Washington's single to center scored Joe Gerber, who got on base with a one-out double.

Fernandez' two-run homer in the fourth plated Knott and complimented Furmaniak's run-scoring double to give the Beavers a 4-0 lead.

Knott competed the scoring with a solo homer in the seventh.

Mike Brunet (0-1) gave up four runs on eight hits in 6.0 innings to take the loss in his Triple-A debut.

The two teams meet again Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. (Pacific).

NOTES: The Stingers (11-6) advanced a runner as far as third base in each of the first two innings and loaded the bases in the seventh off Puffer ... Ben Petrick made his first start in left field ... the Beavers had six extra-base hits in the game (4 doubles, 2 home runs) ... Furmaniak committed an error in the seventh for the game's only miscue ... a number of former Beavers played for the Stingers, including Adam Riggs, Wil Nieves and Jake Thrower ... the Beavers will face another former teammate Sunday afternoon when Jason Middlebrook get the start for Salt Lake. Middlebrook was the Beavers' Opening Day starter in 2002 ... Knot leads the Beavers with three home runs and 10 RBIs ... Knott was the designated hitter in the team's first game against an American League affiliate ... the Beavers, who posted 10 shutouts last season, are 3-0 in shutout games thus far in 2004 ... Portland shaved a game off Salt Lake's lead in the North Division and is now four games out in fourth place.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from April 25, 2004


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