Defenders Battle Back to Defeat Sea Dogs
June 21, 2007 - Eastern League (EL1)
Connecticut Defenders News Release
The 5,200 fans on hand at Dodd Stadium on Thursday June 21 were treated to excitement and sweet satisfaction as the Defenders battled back to defeat the Portland Sea Dogs 6-5. A game after Dave McKae was victimized in a great start in which his win was blown by relief pitching, his counter part on the mound Michael Bowden felt what that was like this time around.
Defenders starter Dave McKae entered with a tremendous ERA of 0.39 and hadn't walked a batter in three starts with Connecticut. But this start saw both those marks go astray as McKae struggled with control and dodged several bullets early, but couldn't avoid it in the fifth inning. Eight players batted in the inning, collecting 5 hits, and the Sea Dogs put up 4 runs in the inning off a sacrifice fly by 1B Jeff Natale, a 2-run single by C Dusty Brown and 2B Cory Keylor. The Sea Dogs added one more run in the top of the sixth inning on another RBI by Natale to extend the Portland lead to 5-0.
Michael Bowden was strong in his start setting down 10 straight Defenders during one stretch and working three 1-2-3 innings as well. Things looked dire as if the Defenders were headed for their third loss in four games in the series, but Bowden ran into trouble in the sixth inning and the Defenders battled back. OF John Bowker and C Steve Holm worked out walks to put runners at first and second with 1 out. Kyle Jackson relieved Bowden to face the hot-hitting 3B Simon Klink. Klink stepped in and delivered an RBI single to score Bowker for the first Defenders run of the game. The following batter DH Mark Minicozzi grounded a ball to first baseman Natale who stepped on the bag and threw to second base to put Klink in a run down, but Simon held out long enough for Holm to score the second run of the game, cutting the lead to 5-2.
In the top of the seventh inning Justin Hedrick loaded the bases with one out, walking 3B Andrew Pinckney, Brown, and surrendering a single to OF Bryan Pritz with 1 out. Ryan Sadowski relieved Hedrick and magnificently retired the next two batters in order to prevent the Sea Dogs from extending their lead. The stop would prove to be absolutely clutch as the bottom of the seventh was a dramatic one for the Defenders. SS Jake Wald led off with a walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and on to third as a result of a throwing error by the catcher Brown. OF Pat Dobson followed with an RBI single to cut the lead to 5-3 and the Defenders had something brewing. After retiring the next two batters in order, Jackson gave up a single to Bowker to put runners and first and second base and that set the stage for OF Carlos Sosa. Sosa took the first pitch for a fastball up high, but he sat on the fastball inside and 1-0 pitch was exactly that, and Sosa crushed it over the left field wall for a 3-run HR (1) which electrified the crowd and put the Defenders ahead 6-5. That score held up to be the final as Sadowski kept the Sea Dogs scoreless in the eighth inning and Brian Anderson shut down the door in the top of the ninth to hold on to the Defenders 6-5 victory.
Kyle Jackson (BS, 2)(L, 3-3) blew the save and took the loss after 1.1 innings, giving up 4 runs, 3 hits, walking 1 and striking out a batter. Ryan Sadowski (W, 1-1) earned the win after pitching sensationally with 1.2 innings of scoreless work, walking 1 and striking out a batter. Brian Anderson (S, 15) collected his fifteenth save of the season after a scoreless ninth inning, surrendering a walk and striking out a batter. Carlos Sosa went 1 for 3 in the game with his first home run of the season, a walk and a run scored. The Defenders split the four game series with the Sea Dogs and host New Britain in a four game set starting Friday June 22, at 6:30 p.m. at Dodd Stadium.
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