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07/06/2008 1:43 AM ET
Perfect not good enough for Loree
Volcanoes right-hander outdueled by Dust Devils' Frazier
By Alan Friedman / Special to MLB.com
Mike Loree has a .085 opponents' batting average in five Northwest League starts. (Salem-Keizer Volcanoes)

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Mike Loree hasn't made many mistakes in his last three starts. The one he made on Saturday proved costly.

The 21-year-old right-hander hurled 6 2/3 perfect innings before giving up a solo homer as Salem-Keizer was beaten by the Tri-City Dust Devils, 4-1, at Volcanoes Stadium.

Loree (1-1), selected by the Giants in the 50th round of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft, struck out seven as he mowed down the first 20 Dust Devils. He lost the perfect game, no-hitter and shutout on one swing as Leonardo Reyes homered with two outs in the seventh to snap a scoreless tie.

"I got [a fastball] up a bit and he squared on it," Loree said.

Tri-City (12-7) added three runs in the eighth off reliever Brian Irving.

In his previous outing on June 30, Loree tossed six perfect innings and fanned seven for his first win of the season, a 1-0 triumph over the Eugene Emeralds. Over a three-start stretch, he retired 40 consecutive batters, one short of the Major League record shared by Jim Barr and Bobby Jenks.

"I've been trying to throw my fastball down in the zone, move it in and out and mix in my offspeed pitches," he said of his last two starts.

As for the perfect game, the Villanova University product said, "Sure, it crossed my mind, but I was just trying to stay focused on one pitch at a time and getting guys out. Losses happen. The other pitcher came out and threw well."

The "other pitcher" was Parker Frazier (2-0), a 2007 eighth-round pick of the Rockies who tossed seven innings of two-hit ball, fanning one and walking two. Austin Chambliss struck out two in a perfect ninth for his league-leading seventh save.

Loree has given up three runs on eight hits with 20 strikeouts over 22 innings this season after going 1-1 with a 1.13 ERA in nine games, including one start, in the Arizona Rookie League in 2007.

Despite the loss, the New Jersey native said Saturday's effort provided some valuable experience.

"It's a confidence-builder," he said. "I'll try to build off that and keep working hard."

The Volcanoes (10-9) totaled three hits -- two singles by Vladimir Frias and a triple off the bat of Mike Loberg.

Alan Friedman is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.