Ambres rallys Beavers to 5-4 win over Fresno

This is a press release courtesy of the Portland Beavers

Chip Ambres hit a triple and scored the game-winning run in a two-run ninth inning as the Portland Beavers pulled off a 5-4 come-from-behind victory over the Fresno Grizzlies at Chukchansi Park on Sunday afternoon.

Ambres was 3-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored, Matt Antonelli collected two hits and an RBI of his own and pitchers Clay Hensley and Mauro Zarate combined to allow just five hits in five innings and gave up just one run (unearned) to lead the Beavers (35-33) to their third straight win over the Grizzlies.

Joe Thatcher (2-0) recorded one strikeout in a scoreless 1 2/3 innings to earn his second win of the season, and second of the series. Edwin Moreno closed the door in the ninth inning with two strikeouts to help the Beavers improve to 6-5 on their current road trip.

The Beavers conceded three one-run leads throughout the game, and reliever Adam Bass gave up home runs to Mike Mooney and Ivan Ochoa in back-to-back innings to help Fresno (32-37) take a 4-3 lead in the eighth.

Down by a run in the ninth inning, Ambres drove home Peter Ciofrone and then scored on a single by Brian Myrow to cap a two-run frame and hand Randy Messenger the loss (3-4) and his second blown save in the series.

Mooney hit his first home run at the Triple-A level to tie the game at 2-2 in the sixth. But Ambres broke the deadlock in the seventh inning scoring Brett Dowdy from second base for his first RBI on the night.

Heads up base running by Zarate put the Beavers into position to take a 2-1 lead in the fifth inning. A wild pitch on a third strike by Fresno starter Victor Santos allowed Zarate to reach first. An error on a pick off attempt by Santos then helped Zarate move around to third and eventually score on a sacrifice fly by Antonelli.

Nick Hundley broke the scoreless stalemate in the fourth with a base hit to left that scored Ambres from third for a 1-0 Beavers lead. But Fresno evened the score in the bottom of the inning when an error on Luis Rodriguez, making his first appearance in the field since being reinstated from the disabled list on Friday, allowed Brian Harper to advance to third and score on a base hit by Guillermo Rodriguez.

The Beavers conclude their 12-game road trip and a four-game set against Fresno on Monday at 7:05 p.m.

NOTES: Will Venable snapped his 10-game hitting streak when he struck out in his lone plate appearance in the eighth inning. He entered the game as part of double switch in the seventh.