April 7, 2023 Sea Dogs Game Notes
April 7, 2023 - Eastern League (EL)
Portland Sea Dogs News Release
IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK - In front of 6,478 fans at Hadlock Field, the Sea Dogs opened the 2023 season with a 7-5 win over the Binghamton Rumble Ponies. Both Phillip Sikes and Tyler McDonough blasted their first Double-A home runs in the victory. Luis Guerrero secured his first Double-A save, closing out the ninth inning with a strikeout.
WHITLOCK WHIFFS - Garrett Whitlock struck out eight batters in his 6.0 innings of work last night for Portland. In his MLB rehab assignment, he only allowed one hit (solo home run) while walking one opposing hitter.
NEW YEAR, NEW ROSTER - This season's roster includes four of the top 30 prospects in the Red Sox system and 25 returning players from 2022. Ceddanne Rafaela (No. 3 prospect), Nick Yorke (No. 7 prospect), Matthew Lugo (No. 18 prospect) and Niko Kavadas (No. 23 prospect) will all take the field for the Sea Dogs this season. Yorke will be making his Double-A debut while Rafaela, Lugo and Kavadas all spent time in Portland last season.
FAMILIAR FACES - The Sea Dogs will feature many familiar players from last year, including pitchers Zach Bryant, Brendan Cellucci, Shane Drohan, Ryan Fernandez, Michael Gettys, Rio Gomez, Dominic LoBrutto, Chih-Jung Liu, Brendan Nail, Wyatt Olds, Yusniel Padron-Artiles, Cody Scroggins, Sterling Sharp, Dylan Spacke, Brian Van Belle, Jacob Webb, Ryan Zeferjahn, catchers Elih Marrero and Stephen Scott. Infielders Alex Binelas, Niko Kavadas, Christian Koss, Matthew Lugo and Nick Yorke and outfielders Tyler Dearden and Ceddanne Rafaela.
BOB FREITAS AWARD WINNERS - During the off season, the Sea Dogs were awarded the Double-A Freitas Award, thanks in large part to a big jump in attendance at Hadlock Field in 2022. The Sea Dogs averaged 5,744 fans a night and saw a 37% increase from the previous year. Portland is just the fourth team to ever win the award twice. They were last awarded with the prestigious honor in 1999.
WITH THE WOOSOX - 19 former Sea Dogs are with the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox to begin their 2023 campaign. On Triple-A Opening Night, former Sea Dog David Hamilton continued his success at the plate on the first day of the season with his first home run of the season. On last year's Opening Day with the Sea Dogs, Hamilton tied a franchise-record with seven RBI, including a grand slam.
WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC - The 2023 World Baseball Classic featured 24 current and former Sea Dogs participating either as a player or a coach. Sea Dogs players represented 12 teams in the World Baseball Classic including Australia (Daniel McGrath), China (Ray Chang), Chinese Taipei (Tzu-Wei Lin), Colombia (Rio Gomez, William Cuevas and Edgar Renteria), Cuba (Roenis Elias and Yoan Moncada), Dominican Republic (Rafael Devers), Israel (Ryan Lavarnway and Kevin Youkilis), Mexico (Joey Menese and Jarren Duran), Netherlands (Xander Bogaerts), Puerto Rico (Christian Vazquez, Henry Ramos and Kiké Hernández), United States (Daniel Bard, Ryan Pressly and Mookie Betts), and Venezuela (Darwinzon Hernandez, Eduardo Rodriquez and Enmanuel De Jesus)
THIS DAY IN SEA DOGS HISTORY April 7, 1994 - In the first game in Sea Dogs franchise history, Charles Johnson hit a solo home run in the 14th inning, lifting Portland to a 2-1 win at Reading.
PITCHING PREVIEW - LHP Shane Drohan makes his first start of 2023 tonight for the Sea Dogs. Last year, he made 22 appearances (20 starts) for High-A Greenville and 5 starts for Portland, his debut at each level. Drohan went 7-8 with a 3.89 ERA, 10.90 SO/9.0 IP, and 3.08 SO/BB (129.2 IP, 112 H, 56 ER, 51 BB, 157 SO). He led Red Sox minor leaguers in strikeouts (157) and ranked among leaders in ERA (4th, 3.89), starts (T-3rd, 25), innings (4th, 129.2), opponent AVG (4th, .227), and WHIP (4th, 1.26).
Eastern League Stories from April 7, 2023
- Long Ball, Late Runs and Labaut Guide the Ducks Past SeaWolves 6-4 - Akron RubberDucks
- Hurter Strong But SeaWolves Fall 6-4 - Erie SeaWolves
- Patriots Down Senators - Somerset Patriots
- Bowie Outlasts Hartford to Secure Season-Opening Series - Chesapeake Baysox
- Yard Goats' Rally Falls Short in Loss to Baysox - Hartford Yard Goats
- Kittens Claw Curve in Friday Night Defeat - Altoona Curve
- Senators Fall to Patriots - Harrisburg Senators
- Ponies Blanked by Sea Dogs on Friday Night at Hadlock - Binghamton Rumble Ponies
- Flying Squirrels' Opener Postponed for Rain - Richmond Flying Squirrels
- Sea Dogs Silence Rumble Ponies - Portland Sea Dogs
- Richmond Flying Squirrels Game Information: April 7, 2023 - Richmond Flying Squirrels
- Erie SeaWolves vs. Akron RubberDucks 4-7 Game Information - Erie SeaWolves
- April 7, 2023 Sea Dogs Game Notes - Portland Sea Dogs
- RubberDucks and FirstEnergy Extend Relationship Through 2026 - Akron RubberDucks
- Reading Fightin Phils Partner with Reading School District - Reading Fightin Phils
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