This is a press release courtesy of the Portland Beavers

Doug Fister scattered six hits and a run over seven innings and Chris Shelton added two RBIs as the Tacoma Rainiers defeated the Portland Beavers 4-1 Wednesday night at Cheney Stadium.

Fister (4-1) pitched seven strong innings to earn the win, allowing just one run on six hits while fanning five. Closer Randy Messenger (14) surrendered two hits in the final frame but held on to secure his 14th save of the season.

Shelton went hitless in the game, yet still gathered two RBIs on a pair of sacrifice flies, while Jeff Clement went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored for the Rainiers (37-42).

The Beavers took the early one-run lead after Val Pascucci plated Mike Baxter with a two-out single in the first inning.

Shelton hit the first of his two RBI sacrifice flies in the bottom of the first frame as the Rainiers matched Portland’s one-run and knotted the game, 1-1. 

Jeff Clement scored from third on a fielding error and Shelton added his second run-scoring sacrifice fly as Tacoma scored two runs in the third to take a 4-1 lead.

The Rainiers increased their advantage to three on an RBI single by Clement in the fourth.

Tim Stauffer (1-1) yielded four runs (3 earned) on seven hits and struck out two in five innings to take his first loss of the season as a Beaver.

Portland threatened in the top of the ninth, loading the bases with two gone before Jose Lobaton flew out to end the game.

Baxter and Pascucci, who knocked in the only run for the Beavers (37-43), each finished with two hits.

The Beavers and Rainiers will meet again Thursday night, 7 p.m., at Cheney Stadium.

NOTES: Beavers righthander Mike Ekstrom was selected to represent the Pacific Coast League in the 2009 Cricket Wireless Triple-A All Star Game at PGE Park … Vincent Sinisi played in his 500th minor league game on Wednesday … the Beavers dropped out of third place in the Pacific Northern Division with the loss, falling a half game behind the Rainiers.