PORTLAND, Ore. --- Portland starter Tate Budnick was solid on the mound and both teams produced quality pitching, but Oregon's one run in the top of third inning proved to be the difference as the Ducks escaped Joe Etzel Field with a 1-0 win over the Pilots on Tuesday night. The Pilots and Ducks combined for six hits total, as they were both limited to just three hits each.
 
Budnick (0-5) lasted a career-long 7.0 innings on the hill, yielding just the one run. He fanned three and walked two. Relievers Jordan Horak and Marty Luckenbach were just as effective as Budnick, as they combined to work the final 2.0 scoreless innings. Neither reliever allowed a base runner, and Horak struck out one in 1.1 innings.
 
The Ducks (16-6) countered with five pitchers, with the win going to starter Isaiah Carranza (1-0). He allowed only one hit in 5.0 innings, while fanning four and walking one.
 
The game's lone run came in the top half of the third after Tim Susnara led off the frame with a double to right-center field. He then moved to third base on a fly out to center, and scored on a base hit single off the bat of Taylor Travess, which was a grounder just out of the reach of a diving Matt Kelly, Portland's shortstop.
 
That was the only scoring chance the Ducks could put together.
 
The Pilots (4-20) had a runner reach second base twice, which happened in the sixth and eighth innings. But both times the Ducks got out of the jam with inning-ending strikeouts.
 
The Pilots stay at home this weekend to host the Santa Clara Broncos for a three-game West Coast Conference series at Joe Etzel Field. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday, while Sunday's finale will begin at 1 p.m.