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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (June 2, 2016)
SPORTS THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 2016 Sports shorts Albers’ 1st hit since 2007 lifts ChiSox NEW YORK (AP) — Pitcher Matt Albers doubled leading off the 13th inning for his fi rst hit since 2007 and scored the tiebreaking run as the Chicago White Sox rallied past the New York Mets 2-1 on Wednesday, helped by Todd Frazier’s major league- leading 17th homer. Albers (2-4) relieved White Sox FACES closer David Robertson to start the 12th and led off the 13th in his fi rst at-bat since 2009. With the outfi eld playing Albers shallow, he lined a 1-2 pitch from Logan Verrett (3-3) to left-center, and the ball rolled to the fence on two hops. A 33-year-old right- hander who has spent most of his career in the American League, Albers had been 2 for 34 (.059) at the plate in his major league career and had not even batted since 2009. He chugged to third on a wild pitch that went to the backstop and scored standing up for his fi rst major league run on Jose Abreu’s sacrifi ce fl y. Latest suspension brings end for Cleveland’s Byrd CLEVELAND (AP) — Marlon Byrd’s second strike with performance-enhancing drugs cost him a full season — and his career. The Indians veteran outfi elder was FACES suspended 162 games without pay by Major League Baseball on Wednesday after testing positive for Ipamorelin, a Byrd growth hormone releasing peptide. It’s Byrd’s second violation of Major League Baseball’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. Byrd called manager Terry Francona on Wednesday morning. Later, he spoke to his teammates as a group in Cleveland’s clubhouse. “Marlon stood up in front of everybody and took responsibility and apolo- gized,” Francona said. “And, basically, he told the guys that his career is over and this is not how he wanted it to end.” “This decision only further embodies the very reason I am running for president of the United States.“ — Donald Trump Republican presidential candidate in response to the PGA’s announce- ment that the World Gofl Championship would be moving from the Trump-owned Doral in Florida to a golf course in Mexico City next year. THIS DATE IN SPORTS 2010 — Armando Galar- raga of the Detroit Tigers loses his bid for a perfect game with two outs in the ninth inning on a call that fi rst base umpire Jim Joyce later admits he blew. First baseman Miguel Cabrera cleanly fi elds Jason Donald’s grounder to his right and makes an accurate throw to Galarraga covering the bag. The ball is there in time, and all of Comerica Park is ready to celebrate the 3-0 win over Cleveland, until Joyce emphatically signals safe. Contact us at 541-966-0838 or sports@eastoregonian.com 1B FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @EOSPORTS STANFIELD Tigers’ tree still bearing fruit Sibling connection motivates Stanfi eld in state title game Stanfi eld baseball players Dylan Gro- gan, far left, Tony Flores (14) and Bro- dy Woods (5) celebrate after Flores got a strike- out for the fi nal out in the Tigers’ 10-1 win over Rainier in the OSAA 3A State Semifi nals on Tuesday in Rainier. By MATT ENTRUP East Oregonian Stanfi eld pitcher Dylan Grogan knows just what to expect when he toes the rubber at Volcanoes Stadium in the OSAA 3A baseball state championship. He’s been there before. Not as a player, though. Grogan was a bat boy when the 2011 Tigers beat No. 1 3A Baseball Championship Portland Christian 3-1 in Keizer for the program’s fi rst title. “It’s kind of weird. #3 Stanfi eld #1 Santiam The last time I was there I Tigers Christian was watching my brother (28-2) Eagles play,” he said during (25-3) the team’s penultimate • Friday, 5 p.m. practice at Madigan Field. • at Volcanoes Stadium “That’s just special for me, • Radio: KOHU 1360 AM just playing there where my brother did.” Grogan is one of four younger brothers looking to follow in his older sibling’s footsteps when No. 3 Stanfi eld takes on No. 1 Santiam Christian on Friday at 5 p.m. Grogan’s brother Quin pitched the complete game in Contributed photo courtesy of Katie Johnson See TIGERS/2B PILOT ROCK Rockets bring the noise Pilot Rock will hope to out-cheer, and outplay Union in the state championship By MATT ENTRUP East Oregonian The Pilot Rock softball team will be looking for every possible edge it can get when it fi nishes its season on the fi eld at OSU Softball Complex in the 2A/1A state championship for the second year in a row. They’re leaving no stone unturned, and have done everything in their power to make sure they’ll have an advantages in the batter’s box, the pitching circle, one the bases, and yes, even in the dugout. “The loudest dugout is the winning dugout,” said senior pitcher/outfi elder Rebekka Holman during the team’s fi nal practice in Pilot Rock before heading to Corvallis for Friday’s 1 p.m. game. The No. 1 Rockets (26-3) go the extra mile to try and prove Holman right each game out. “Especially toward the playoffs we’ve got a lot louder,” said junior pitcher Tehya Ostrom. “We came up with new cheers and we got rally gear, like we went to the Dollar Store and got crazy sunglasses and stuff, just so we could all have fun. We’re dancing around in the dugout, and it helps because it keeps everybody in a positive attitude.” The team partly responsible for the Rockets’ gusto is the team they’ll play Friday — No. 2 Union (20-4). “We used to think they were the most annoying team because they were so loud, but then we realized Staff photo by Kathy Aney Pilot Rock’s Sara Weinke exults after hitting a home run during last week’s game against Gaston. that does help,” Ostrom said. “And so now we’re all loud, and so it’s kind of going to be a battle with that, because I’m sure they want to be louder and more intense.” The Rockets have decidedly gotten the better of the Bobcats this season, beating them four times by an ever-increasing margin. After winning their fi rst meeting 7-5, the Rockets scored 12 runs in the fi fth inning of a 13-0 win, then won 15-0 on the strength of a 10-run at-bat, and most recently beat Union 18-0 in the district championship after plating 12 in the second inning. Pilot Rock coach Darin Fitzpat- rick said he’s working on building See ROCKETS/2B 2A/1A Softball Championship #2 Union Bobcats (20-4) #1 Pilot Rock Rockets (26-3) • Friday, 1 p.m. • at OSU Softball Complex • Online: OSAA.org/radio-network Pro Soccer Timbers earn fi rst shutout before Copa America break Shorthanded Portland beats San Jose By ANNE M. PETERSON Associated Press PORTLAND — It was the unlikeliest of outcomes for the Port- land Timbers. Liam Ridgewell scored early and the Timbers earned their fi rst shutout of the season with a 1-0 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes on Wednesday night despite playing short-handed the entire second half. Dairon Asprilla was sent off with a red card at the end of the fi rst half and the Timbers played with 10 men the rest of the way. MLS “That’s not easy. making just two If you know this shots. The Timbers (5-6-4) were the last game and have MLS team without a actually played it, it’s San Jose Portland shutout this season. very diffi cult to get a It was a clean result down a man for sheet to Timbers 45 minutes,” Portland goalkeeper Jake coach Caleb Porter said. “These guys dug deep, and Gleeson, who was making his eighth were organized. They showed their start this year in place of Adam composure. They showed their savvy Larsen Kwarasey, who is out because and their experience. They showed of a torn ligament in his fi nger. It was the last match for both teams their fi ght and heart. Couldn’t be more proud of them, it’s a big result.” until June 18 as Major League Soccer The loss snapped a three-game goes on a break for the Copa America undefeated streak for the Earth- Centenario. Sixteen nations, including quakes, who were without coach the United States, are playing in the Dominic Kinnear because of a minor event across the country. The tournament opens Friday with car accident Wednesday. Kinnear was the U.S. national team facing Colombia not seriously injured, the team said. Portland’s win also came despite at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. 0 1 Several players were missing from both teams on Wednesday because of the tournament, including Portland’s Darlington Nagbe and San Jose’s Chris Wondolowski, both on the U.S. squad. Ridgewell scored in the 11th minute, heading in a free kick from Diego Valeri. After gesturing to the fans, he rolled on the turf in celebration, something that has been dubbed the “RidgyRoll.” “It’s been a long time coming,” Ridgewell said afterward. “It felt great, and certainly to get the win, and that result, was fantastic.” Asprilla was sent off with a red card at the end of the fi rst half after for elbowing San Jose’s Jordan Stewart in the head. It was diffi cult to determine from the replay if there was intent.
