May 20, 2011

Box Score

LOS ANGELES, Calif. - LMU (26-23, 7-9) trailed from beginning to end on Friday en route to dropping an 8-2 decision to Portland (20-28, 7-9) in the opener of a three-game West Coast Conference series being played at LMU's Page Stadium over the weekend.

Portland's Kyle Kraus dealt a complete game en route to earning the victory and evening his record at 5-5. The complete game was Kraus' first of the year. The right-hander allowed eight hits and two runs, while walking one and striking out three.

Jonathan Johnson was the lone LMU hitter with multiple hits, finishing 2-for-4 out of the second spot in the order. Matt Lowenstein collected a double and scored a run, while Joe Vierra finished 1-for-4 with a RBI.

Jason Wheeler got the start and took the loss after tossing seven innings and allowing six runs on eight hits and one walk while striking out four. With the decision, Wheeler fell to 6-4. Jeremy Burrell surrendered two runs over an inning and a third before Matt Florer tossed the final two-thirds of a frame in relief.

Portland belted a pair of home runs, including one off the bat of Matt Mardesich. The right-handed hitter finished the game 2-for-4 with the homer, a sacrifice fly and four RBI. Kevin Armijo went 3-for-5 with two runs scored, a RBI and a double out of the second spot in the order. Brian Frattali also had a stellar day at the plate, batting 2-for-3 with a home run, three runs scored and a RBI.

Portland got on the board first in the game, plating a pair of runs in the first inning on a two-run home run from Mardesich. Wheeler struck out the side in the inning, but after punching-out the first two hitters, the lefty allowed a single to Turner Gill and the ninth homer of the year from Mardesich.

The Lions scratched back within one run at 2-1 in the fourth inning as singles from Zac Fujimoto and Johnson set the table for a sacrifice fly from Alex Guthrie. Portland wasted no time regaining and then extending the lead, plating a run in the fifth and sixth innings. A hit-by-pitch got things started in the fifth before a sacrifice bunt moved the runner to second. After a base hit put runners at the corners, Kramer Scott contributed the sacrifice fly to push the tally to 3-1. The Pilots used a second sacrifice fly in the sixth as an Armijo single and a Gill double down the left field line preceded a run-scoring fly ball to right-centerfield off the bat of Mardesich.

After a leadoff homer from Frattali, his second of the year, plated the fifth Pilot run in the seventh, Portland managed to stretch its consecutive scoring inning streak to four with one more in the eighth. Armijo singled to centerfield before a walk and a Mardesich single off of Burrell brought home the run. The right-hander did well to escape further damage, getting a fly ball before inducing an inning-ending double play.

The Pilots tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the ninth, stretching their consecutive scoring innings streak to five and the lead to 8-1. Frattali singled to right-centerfield to get the ball rolling before a walk and a sacrifice bunt set the table for the third sacrifice fly of the game for the Pilots, this one from Scott. Portland capped the scoring run on the ensuing play as Armijo doubled off Mikos Blue Monster in left field to chase home Craig Smith.

The Lions showed fight in the ninth, plating a run on two hits to run the tally to its eventual final of 8-2. Lowenstein doubled inside the bag at third and came around to score on a two-out RBI-single from Vierra into right field.

The Lions return to action tomorrow when Portland and LMU continue the three-game series at 1 p.m.