#10 Vancouver and # 12 Portland Split Four Game Series at Portland
[July 22, 2007 – Portland, Oregon] – After dropping a pair Saturday evening, the Vancouver Grey Sox came out playing hard, smart and together on Sunday taking both games of the double header to earn a split for the weekend in Portland. John Stuart changed his batting order, threw in some hit and run plays, bunted more and received some strong defense and execution from his players. Coach Stuart said they “needed these” after the games. I might add they earned it. Portland had their chances, but this was Vancouver’s day.
In the first game, Vancouver went up 2-0 in the first on an RBI triple by Derek Mayson who later scored on a wild pitch. Portland came back to tie it the second on a hard liner double by Rod Rainey which hit the top of the fence. The score was tied at 3-3, until Craig Halliday hit a two run double in the 6th inning for the Grey Sox. It was a long, long at-bat with several foul balls until Halliday hit what turned out to be the game winning rbi’s. Mike Piechnik threw well for Portland in defeat. A couple of miss played balls and a check swing call hurt the big lefty. But, it was Vancouver’s day. Nick Underhill picked up the win for the Canucks.
Game two had Derek Mayson shutting down the Portland offense except for a solo blast by Brian Ree in the sixth inning. Nick Underhill picked up the save throwing “gas” while striking out the side in the bottom of the seventh. Bryan Abrey hit a two run triple in the 4th to supply all the offense Vancouver needed. Bricklin Anderson threw well for Portland in defeat.
All in all it was a good weekend for both teams. The players all got some needed at-bats and the pitchers got their work in. While Portland leads the head to head play six games to three, anything can happen when these two Northwest powers play each other. Next weekend it is on to Vancover, BC for the Vancouver Challenge. Hope to see you there.
Thanks to the Vancouver Grey Sox for coming down to Portland this weekend and treating us to some good ball. Always a class act (almost always) and a pleasure to host.
Tom Ree
Portland DeMarini
Game (1)
Vancouver 5
Portland 3
WP Nick Underhill
LP Mike Piechnik
Game (2)
Vancouver 3
Portland 1
WP Derek Mayson
LP Bricklin Anderson
Save – Nick Underhill
HR Brian Ree (Portland)
Thanks to Tom Ree for this report.