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Freshman Joey Wong swings away during OSU's 12-4 victory over Portland on Tuesday. Down 4-3 in the seventh, they would go on to score nine runs in the last two innings.

Reyes debuts as starter in game against No. 9 Portland Pilots

Mitch Canham sparks late comeback while Jordan Lennerton nails his second home run in as many games to clinch victory for Beavers

By: Frank Hoaglin

Posted: 4/10/07

With Major League Baseball scouts in attendance, the No. 9 OSU baseball team survived a mid-game scare and went on to defeat the University of Portland, 12-4, at Goss Stadium Tuesday afternoon. The Beavers scored nine runs in the last two innings to seal the game.

With the Pilots up 4-3, OSU catcher Mitch Canham hit a game-tying RBI double and later went on to cross the plate on a pinch hit two-RBI double from right fielder Scott Santschi. It was smooth sailing for the Beavers the rest of the game, as Canham walked with the bases loaded in the top of the ninth to extend their lead to 8-4.

"Tell you what," Canham said, "Scott Santschi coming off the bench - he came up with a big hit. Scott told me how much he wanted to be a leader on the team, and right there shows that he meant it."

But the Beavers were not done yet. With the bases still loaded, first baseman Jordan Lennerton unloaded on a pitch from Portland reliever Ben Panther and sent it over the right-centerfield wall for a grand slam. The junior finished the game 3-for-4 and added two runs of his own.

"It was nice to have some big innings like that," said Canham, who drove in three runs and doubled twice. "The big thing for today was our pitching staff coming out - four or five guys throwing and Anton getting some lefties for us. We need to see that out of him, and Blake also. Those guys coming out of the pen and doing a remarkable job for us."

Freshman Jorge Reyes, starting his first collegiate game for the Beavers, started the game hot by striking out four Pilots in the first two innings. But in the third, Portland made the game interesting after a wild pitch brought home catcher Rocky Gale, and a Cory Wiltshire single brought home shortstop C.J. Cullen to tie the game. After the damage had been done, Reyes struck out first baseman Chase Powell to end the inning.

"My whole life, I have had trouble pitching out of the stretch," Reyes said. "When I had a runner on third, I was able to go back to my windup and have that strikeout. Also, just working the outside corner, because it was working good today."

But Reyes dominated the Pilots the next two innings, giving up no hits and striking out two more. Portland struggled to hit Reyes' slider that would put Randy Johnson to shame.

"Jorge threw good," manager Pat Casey said. "They scrapped a couple hits together, and he hit a guy. Put on a free runner, and you just can't do that. But for a freshman to come out for his first start, I thought he was awful good."

"Jorge had a great start," Canham added. "We're happy to see that in him, because maybe next year or the year after he will be starting."

Beaver reliever Mark Grbavac came on in the eighth to close out the game for the Beavers, striking out all four Pilots he faced.

The Beavers resume their Pac-10 schedule Friday as they face the California Golden Bears for a three-game weekend home stand, beginning Friday at 5:00 p.m.