Stingers lose by 1 run again

In a game that featured four lead changes, the Portland Beavers edged the Salt Lake Stingers 9-8 on Monday night. Alex Fernandez delivered a two-out, tie-breaking single off Derrick Turnbow (1-1) in the eighth to give the Beavers the win, ending a nine-game losing streak to the Stingers at PGE Park. Mike Bynum (1-3) worked a 1-2-3 eighth for the win and former Stinger Bart Miadich tossed a scoreless ninth for his fifth save.

Salt Lake led 5-3 in the sixth when they called on Mitch Arnold to pitch. Arnold, a 22-year-old who had never thrown above rookie league and is scheduled to open the season in Provo, showed his inexperience by loading the bases with no outs on two hits and a walk. A sacrifice fly by Ben Risinger brought the Beavers to within one and J.J. Furmaniak then drilled a 1-0 pitch over the wall in left to put Portland ahead 7-5.

The Stingers regained the lead in the seventh when they loaded the bases with no outs. Portland reliever Blaine Neal struck out Adam Riggs, threw a wild pitch to score Brian Specht to make it 7-6 and fanned Robb Quinlan. Former Beaver Alex Pelaez then came through with a two run single to center to put Salt Lake ahead 8-7.

The Stingers were down 2-0 when they scored five runs in the third on a two-run single by Barry Wesson, an RBI single by Riggs, a run scoring ground out by Quinlan and an RBI single by Pelaez.

BEELINES: Salt Lake manager Mike Brumley will miss the series in Portland due to the death of his grandfather. He is expected to rejoin the team in Tacoma on Friday . . . Five members of the Stingers have played for the Beavers: Alex Pelaez, Jake Thrower, Adam Riggs, Wil Nieves and Jason Middlebrook . . . Padres infielder Jeff Cirillo began a rehab assignment with Portland Monday night. He suffered a broken right index finger when trying to bunt in a spring training game March 29th.

KEY INNING: Portland scores two in the eighth inning for the fourth and final lead change of the game.

KEY STAT: The Beavers opened five of their eight innings with lead off doubles. Three of those doubles turned into runs.

TOP PERFORMANCE: Portland's J.J. Furmaniak, who came into the game batting .207, went 4-for-4 with a double, a homer and four runs batted in.