Oklahoma Red Hawks Defeat Portland Beavers 9-8 - AAA, Pacific Coast League

MLN - THE RAW FEED - www.mlntherawfeed.com -PORTLAND, Ore. – Nate Gold and Kevin Richardson both hit three-run homers during a six-run first inning for the Oklahoma RedHawks, who had to hold on for a 9-8 victory over the Portland Beavers Wednesday afternoon at PGE Park.

Ryan Roberts had two hits and two RBIs for the RedHawks, who snapped Portland’s three-game winning streak.

Jody Gerut hit his third home run in his last three games, while Marshall McDougall and Chase Headley added three hits apiece for the Beavers. (10-14).

Oklahoma (18-9) had leads of 6-0 and 8-4 but was forced to hold off a day-long rally by Beavers, who had the tying run at third base with no outs in the bottom of the eighth.

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The RedHawks, who out-hit the Beavers 14-13, wasted little time in jumping on Portland starter Wade LeBlanc (2-2), who set a career high by allowing eight runs on 10 hits and three walks over his three innings in his second consecutive rough start. All nine RedHawks made their way to the plate in the first inning as Oklahoma took a commanding 6-0 lead.

Portland chipped away at Oklahoma’s lead with three runs in the second inning and later got within 9-7 on McDougall’s two-out, two-run double in the fourth.

Gerut scored from third on a wild pitch in the eighth to cut the RedHawks’ lead to one, but Portland couldn’t push across the tying run.

Wes Littleton (1-0) worked three innings of relief to get credit for the win, while Kazuo Fukumori worked the final 1 1/3 innings for his first save.

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