Saborio hat trick snaps skid | The Salt Lake Tribune

RSL notes • Forward scores three times in 15 minutes during dominating win.

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Sandy • With Real Salt Lake's scoring drought history, Alvaro Saborio went ahead and made some of his own in the 3-0 win over Portland.

After RSL went 249 minutes without scoring a goal, the forward scored three times in 15 minutes for only the third hat trick in RSL history.

A red-card handball by Portland's Diego Chara saved Saborio's hat trick from being even more unique: He nearly scored all three on headers. However, in the 73rd minute, Chara's hand shot out and batted down a Saborio header at the goal line that would have surely scored if not for the disruption. Instead, Saborio followed through with a penalty kick goal.

Twice this season Saborio scored two goals: on May 5 against New England and on May 26 against Dallas.

While the third hat trick in team history, Saborio's accomplishment was actually only the second in MLS play. Robbie Findlay scored three in a 4-1 win over Columus in 2009, while then-player Jason Kreis netted three in a U.S. Open Cup match against Minnesota in 2005.

Full strength

Things returned to normal for RSL on Saturday, and not just in the sense of dominance at Rio Tinto Stadium. For the first time since May 5, RSL's midfield and defense were composed of its first-choice players. Only a yellow-card suspension to forward Fabian Espindola kept the team from fielding what would be considered its preferred 11.

Center back Jamison Olave played for the first time since June 20 against Los Angeles. He started and played until the 82nd minute, when he was replaced by Kwame Watson-Siriboe.

Injuries

Ned Grabavaroy started the game but was replaced in the midfield in the 24th minute by Luis Gil after he suffered a knee-to-knee collision with Portland forward Eric Alexander.

After the game, Grabavoy was listed as day-to-day.

It was just the latest in a series of pesky injuries for Grabavoy.

Grabavoy suffered a groin strain against San Jose on June 23, and did not make the trip to Columbus on June 30.

He came on for the final 30 minutes against Seattle in a 0-0 draw Wednesday.

Grabavoy also missed four games in April due to a dislocated rib.

boram@sltrib.com

Twitter: @oramb