Trappers Ride Big First Inning to Win over Trappers
August 31, 2003 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Edmonton Trappers News Release
Center fielder Peter Bergeron was 4-for-5 with a triple and two RBI as the Edmonton Trappers downed the Portland Beavers 7-2 Sunday afternoon at TELUS Field. Bergeron has hit Portland pitching well all season and is now 18-for-45 (.400) in 12 games against the Beavers. It is the third time this season that the speedy outfielder has registered four or more hits in one game. His biggest game of the season came in Sacramento on April 20 when he tied a club record with six hits. The first inning has been a struggle for the Trappers most of the season with the opposition outscoring the North Division champions 104-68 coming into Sunday afternoon's contest. It was a much different story as Edmonton scored all of their runs in the first frame and coasted the rest of the way. Sunday's have been kind to the Trappers this season with the club posting a 17-9 record on that day of the week. Edmonton is 20-18 in afternoon contests, including a 13-11 record at TELUS Field. The Trappers and Beavers will conclude the regular season with an afternoon tilt at TELUS Field on Monday. Edmonton will open the best-of-five Pacific Conference Final at home against the Sacramento River Cats on Wednesday night.
Edmonton scored seven times on six hits, one walk and one error in the first inning off Portland starter Carlton Loewer (7-8). With one out in the frame Luis Figueroa reached on an error by Beavers' shortstop Khalil Greene. Terrmel Sledge followed with a base hit into right field, which advanced Figueroa all the way to third base. A walk to Matt Cepicky loaded the bases for Ryan Balfe, who singled up the middle, plating Figueroa and Sledge with the first two runs of the game. Jeff Bailey followed with a double to left field, scoring Cepicky and advancing Balfe to third. Jake Thrower then singled to left, plating Balfe with the fourth run of the inning. Bailey moved to third on the base hit and scored on Scott Sandusky's double. With two out Bergeron tripled to left-center, scoring Thrower and Sandusky with the final two runs of the frame. Trapper starter Scott Downs (8-9) got into trouble in the first inning, allowing a single and a walk, but he got out of the jam by getting Jon Knott to ground into an inning-ending double play. Downs allowed only two more hits over the next four innings and left with a 7-0 lead. Overall he yielded only three hits and one walk, while striking out two in 5.0 shutout innings.
The Beavers got to Edmonton reliever Blake Stein for two runs in the sixth inning. Bobby Scales drew a walk to lead off the inning and advanced to third on a double by Greene. Xavier Nady followed with a single to right field that scored Scales and advanced Greene to third. A single by Knott to center field scored Greene with the second run of the inning. Stein got out of the inning by getting Alex Fernandez to ground into a double play and Wiki Gonzalez to bounce out to third. Reliever Brian Tollberg singled with two out in the seventh inning, but Stein retired Scales to end that frame. Tim Drew came on in the eighth inning and recorded three consecutive outs before turning the ball over the Roy Corcoran in the ninth inning. Corcoran, who was activated today after being optioned from Montreal, was perfect in his Trapper debut, retiring all three batters that he faced. Tollberg tossed four scoreless innings in relief of Loewer, allowing just four hits and one walk, while fanning four. Portland is 5-18 (.217) at TELUS Field the last three seasons.
Highlights:
Trappers: Are 37-31 at TELUS Field.are the North Division Champions for the second consecutive year.will open the Pacific Conference Final at TELUS Field on Wednesday night.have won seven of the last eight games.are 22-7 when scoring the first run at TELUS Field.have 1392 hits this season.Edmonton leads the season series, 9-6.Edmonton leads the all-time series, 29-19.
RF Terrmel Sledge: Was 1-for-4 with a run scored in his first start since August 26.he has hit safely in 15 consecutive games, going 26-for-59 (.441).has scored 17 runs and driven in 22 runs during the streak.has set a career-high with 160 hits.
Alumni Report:
1B Scott Spiezio (ANA) @ KC: Hit a two-out, two-run home run in the third inning off left-hander Brian Anderson as the Angels downed the Royals 7-4 in the first game of a doubleheader.also tripled and scored two runs.has 14 home runs and 66 RBI.
Pacific Coast League Stories from August 31, 2003
- 'Topes Fail to Clinch after 10-2 Loss - Albuquerque Isotopes
- Davis Homers Twice, Sounds Win 10-2 - Nashville Sounds
- Missions take truncated finale from Express - Round Rock Express
- Zephyrs Shutout Redbirds, 8-0 - New Orleans Baby Cakes
- Trappers Ride Big First Inning to Win over Trappers - Edmonton Trappers
- First Inning Dooms Beavers - Portland Beavers
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