Beavers Topple Tacoma

08/22/2007 10:38 PM

TACOMA, Wash. - Craig Stansberry homered and drove in four runs and Ray Chang added three hits and two RBIs to lead the Portland Beavers to a 9-6 win over the Tacoma Rainiers Wednesday night at Cheney Stadium.

Portland (55-77) snapped a four-game losing streak against Tacoma to begin a nine-game road trip, the team’s longest of the season. The Beavers have now won three straight and six of their last eight games.

Tacoma (61-71) rallied twice to cut into early deficits and brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth but could not overcome the Beavers’ lead. The Rainiers have now dropped three of four to Portland at home this season.

Joe Thatcher (3-1) worked 1 2/3 innings of relief of Portland starter Casey Fossum, allowing a run on three base hits while striking out two to earn his third victory.

Sean White (0-1) took the loss for Tacoma, allowing two runs in 4 2/3 innings of work on an injury rehab assignment.

Portland broke open a scoreless game in the fifth when Paul McAnulty drove in Jon Schemmel with an RBI single to chase White. After Jose De La Cruz came on in relief, Stansberry blasted the second pitch he saw from De La Cruz over the wall in left, scoring McAnulty to give the Beavers a 3-0 lead.

Tacoma had cut the Portland advantage to 3-2, but the Beavers padded their lead with five runs in the seventh. Stansberry and Royce Huffman each hit two-run singles and Ray Chang scored Huffman with an RBI single of his own.

The Rainiers quickly responded in the bottom of the seventh, sending nine men to the plate and scoring four runs. Bryan LaHair started the comeback with a two-run single before back-to-back RBI base hits from Charlton Jimerson and Jeff Clement made the score 8-6.

With Portland leading 9-6 in the ninth, Tacoma put runners on second and third against Scott Cassidy but Cassidy struck out the side to earn his tenth save.

Brady Clark was 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles for Portland.

Jimerson was 4-for-5 with an RBI for the Rainiers.

The two teams will play the second game of their five game series Thursday. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.

NOTES: Today, the Beavers signed left-handed pitcher Casey Fossum, who started the season with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Additionally, infielder Keoni Ruth and pitcher Robert Woodard were transferred to Class A Eugene, infielder/outfielder Peter Ciofrone was transferred to Class AA San Antonio and Schemmel was transferred to Portland from Class A Lake Elsinore … Fossum started Wednesday in his Beavers’ debut, allowing one run and six hits in 4 1/3 innings but did not factor in the decision … Schemmel made his Triple-A debut on Wednesday, starting at designated hitter and going 2-for-3 with two runs scored… Stansberry has five home runs in his last 11 games … Portland’s last three-game win streak came over four days on June 17-20.

Story and pictures from portlandbeavers.com and Oregon Sportsnet staff