PORTLAND, Ore. – J.P. Arencibia hit three-run homers in the first and seventh innings to lead the Las Vegas 51s past the Portland Beavers 7-2 in the first game of their season-ending four-game series before 7,368 at PGE Park on Friday night.

Aaron Mathews and Howie Clark joined Arencibia, who now has six homers in his last seven games, in scoring a pair of runs each for the 51s (70-71).

David Purcey (9-6) turned in a solid effort, pitching 5 1/3 innings while allowing single runs in the fourth and sixth innings on six hits and three walks.

Valentino Pascucci and Danny Putnam each collected two hits and Mike Baxter tripled and scored both runs for the Beavers (58-83), who snapped a nine-game losing streak in Thursday’s series finale in Colorado Springs but could not return to the winner’s circle Friday.

Sean Gallagher (1-1) took the loss for Portland by surrendering Arencibia’s first three-run homer in the first inning, the only frame he pitched in his rehab start.

Gallagher gave up singles to Mathews and Brian Dopirak before Arencibia crushed his first homer off the batter’s eye in straight away center.

Pascucci’s RBI single in the fourth drove home Baxter, who had tripled, and Sean Kazmar knocked in Baxter with a two-out single in the sixth.

Scheduled starter Aaron Poreda came on in the second inning and gave up one run over his first five innings. However, the heralded lefty ran into trouble in the seventh inning, issuing his seventh and eighth walks of the game before Will Startup entered the game and gave up Arencibia’s second three-run shot of the night. Poreda also finished with eight strikeouts, his highest total as a Beaver, to go along with the eight walks and three runs over 5 1/3 innings.

The series continues Saturday night with a 7:05 p.m. (Pacific) start before the Beavers and 51s play a pair of matinee games (2:05 p.m.) Sunday and Monday to round out the season at PGE Park.

NOTES: Beavers outfielder Chad Huffman’s streaks of consecutive at-bats with a hit (9) and consecutive plate appearances getting on base (13) came to an end with his strikeout in the bottom of the first … Gallagher, rehabbing his left knee, was acquired by the Padres on July 28 to complete a trade that sent Scott Hairston to the Athletics; the start tonight was his first with the organization after residing on the disabled list since he was traded … Las Vegas is 5-0 at PGE Park this season … the Beavers have lost six straight home games … fireworks followed the game.

Beavers Game File
FRIDAY’S GAME: Las Vegas 7, Beavers 2
WINNING PITCHER: Purcey (9-6)
LOSING PITCHER: Gallagher (1-1)
SAVE: None
HOME RUNS: Arencibia 2 (21)
SATURDAY’S GAME: Las Vegas (Fabio Castro: 7-6, 4.52) at Portland (Josh Banks: 7-7, 3.40), 7:05 p.m. (Pacific); live audio broadcast on KPAM AM-860 and www.portlandbeavers.com. Follow the Beavers on Twitter: www.twitter.com/PortlandBeavers

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