Box Score

EUGENE, Ore. --- Starter Kyle Kraus tossed 8.0 solid innings, Kevin Armijo blasted a two-run homer and Chris Dennis picked up his first save in more than a month as the Portland Pilots defeated the Oregon Ducks 4-2 at PK Park on Wednesday night. Matt Mardesich collected three hits for the Pilots, who even the season series with the Ducks at 2-2.

 

UP improves to 15-23 overall on the year, while Oregon drops to 21-18.

 

Kraus (3-5) was masterful as he held the Oregon bats at bay for most of the night. The Ducks, who scored a run during each the sixth and seventh innings, could muster just six hits, while the junior right-hander Kraus struck out a pair and walked only one.

 

Oregon’s run in the bottom of the seventh inning tied the game at 2-2 after Armijo earlier gave Portland the lead with the two-run shot to left field in the top half of the sixth. The Pilots wasted little time to respond, scoring two runs of their own the very next inning. With Turner Gill on first base, Mardesich drilled his third hit of the game down the left field line. The double allowed Gill to race around and score, giving the lead back to Portland.

 

Riley Henricks then followed with an RBI single, providing the Pilots with a little insurance.

 

Kraus got through the bottom of the eighth inning before giving way to Dennis, Portland’s All-American closer. Dennis was in classic form as he retired the Ducks in order in the ninth, with two outs coming via the strikeout. It’s Dennis’ seventh save of the year and his first since March 12.

 

UO starter Porter Clayton matched Kraus pitch-for-pitch and didn’t allow Portland’s first hit until the top of the fifth inning when Mardesich led off with a single. Clayton then turned it over to the bullpen with one on and one out in the top of the sixth. Reliever Jeff Gold promptly allowed the homer to Armijo, which broke the scoreless tie.

 

Christian Jones (3-2) takes the loss for the Ducks as he was responsible for UP’s two runs in the eighth.

 

The Ducks claimed a slim 6-5 advantage in hits and neither team committed an error.

 

Portland next takes some time off for final exams before returning to the field on Friday, May 6 to face Saint Mary’s in the first game of the three-game West Coast Conference series in Moraga, Calif. The Pilots and Gaels are set to play at 3 p.m. on Friday before squaring off in a double-header at 11 a.m. on Saturday.