EL1 Portland Sea Dogs

Defenders Bring the Offense, Beat Portland

June 25, 2009 - Eastern League (EL1)
Portland Sea Dogs News Release


(Norwich, CT) - The Connecticut Defenders (41-31) scored early and often to grab the series finale from the Portland Sea Dogs (33-38) 7-2 on Thursday night at Dodd Stadium. Portland dropped 2 of 3 to the Defenders and has now lost 5 consecutive series. The first place Defenders improved their division lead to 7.5 games over the Sea Dogs and took 13 of 21 meetings from Portland this season.

LHP Madison Bumgarner (5-1) beat the Sea Dogs for the third time this season. The 19-year old lefty tied a career with 8 innings pitched (Double-A high), scattering four hits on one run, two walks and five strikeouts. Bumgarner went 3-0, 0.95 ERA (2 ER/19 IP) in 3 starts against the Sea Dogs this season. Portland had only four baserunners against Bumgarner after the first inning.

LHP Kason Gabbard (0-2) dropped his second consecutive start for Portland. The veteran left-hander lasted only four innings, surrendering eight runs on seven hits and walked six. Connecticut pounded six doubles off Gabbard and scored in the first three innings.

Portland grabbed a 1-0 lead three batters into the game against Bumgarner. 2B Ryan Khoury (2-for-4) delivered a ground-rule double and scored on 3B Jorge Jimenez's (3-or-4, HR, 2 RBI) run-scoring single to right field. Jimenez added the final run with a two-out solo homer over the right-field wall, his team-leading 8th of the season. Khoury and Jimenez collected all five hits for the Sea Dogs off Bumgarner and RHP Geivy Garcia.

Connecticut responded with four runs in the first inning off Gabbard. LF Bobby Felmy (2-for-4, RBI) and 1B Brett Pill (2-for-4, RBI), who both walked, scored on a 2-run double by RF Eddy Martinez-Esteve. CF Mike Mooney produced a run-scoring ground out (game-winning RBI) and SS Brandon Crawford delivered an RBI single.

In the second inning, Pill knocked home Felmy with a run-scoring double to give the home team a 6-1 lead. The Defenders added two runs in the third on RBI's from Crawford (double) and Felmy (fielder's choice).

RHP Blake Maxwell relieved Gabbard and worked four scoreless frames on three hits and one strikeout. The Sea Dogs dropped five games below .500 for the first time since 2004.

The Sea Dogs continue their roadtrip on Friday night against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats at Merchantsauto.com Stadium; game time is 7:05 PM. RHP Ryne Lawson will make his 10th start of the season against RHP Luis Perez (4-6, 3.46 ERA). Catch all the action on the U.S. Cellular Sea Dogs Radio Network beginning at 6:35 PM with the CorrectDeck Pre-Game Show.

Notes...Gabbard tied a team-high with 6 walks and has 10 free passes in two starts...Jimenez picked up his team-leading 23rd multi-hit game of the season...Khoury is tied with DH Jon Still for the team lead in doubles with 17...Jimenez went 6-for-9 in the final two games of the series...Khoury's RBI single was the lone at-bat with a runner-in-scoring position.

Check out the Portland Sea Dogs Statistics



Eastern League Stories from June 25, 2009


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