Defenders Shutout Portland 3-0
Published on April 9, 2009 under Eastern League (EL1)
Connecticut Defenders News Release
PORTLAND,ME- The Connecticut Defenders wasted no time to start the Steve Decker Era in Norwich off with a win as they shutout the Portland Sea Dogs 3-0 in the season opener at Hadlock Field in Portland, ME.
Both teams took some time to heat up the bats on what was a crystal clear night for baseball but it was the pitchers who set the tempo. Daryl Maday had a tall task of matching up against newly acquired Japanese prospect Junichi Tazawa.
The Defenders would strike the scoreboard first in the fourth inning as Brett Pill pulled a double inside the third base bag to score Martinez-Esteve who drew a one out walk and gave the Defenders a 1-0 advantage.
Maday delivered an impressive outing getting out of any trouble he got himself into. He finished with four innings, allowed just two hits, no runs, walked two and struck out two in his first outing of the season.
With the departure of Maday, the offense would add a run in the seventh with a Mike Mooney solo bomb with two outs in the seventh to increase the Defenders lead to 2-0. Connecticut manufactured an insurance run in the eighth when Jackson Williams lead off with a double, then Boyer sacrifice bunted him to third and Brian Bocock drove an infield chopper through the left side to give the Defenders a 3-0 lead.
That is all the bullpen would need to shut the door on the Sea Dogs. Mike Musgrave picked up the win with an impressive one and a third innings of work in which he struck out the side in the seventh. Daniel Otero slammed the door on any Sea Dogs hopes in the ninth stranding Bates on second as he struck Jon Still out looking with a blazing fastball on the outside part of the plate.
The Defenders and Sea Dogs will meet again tomorrow at Hadlock Field in Portland, ME for game two of a four game set. Righty Brooks McNiven will toe the rubber for Connecticut while righty Adam Mills goes for the Sea Dogs. Catch all the action on the Defenders Radio Network starting with the pre-game show at 5:45pm.
The Defenders season opener is April 16 vs. Trenton (Yankees). For more information or to order tickets, call the Box Office at (860)-887-7962 or purchase online at www.ctdefenders.com.
Eastern League Stories from April 9, 2009
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- Erie outslugs Altoona, 10-7 - Altoona Curve
- Baysox Fall in Akron - Chesapeake Baysox
- Sea Dogs Drop Opener 3-0 - Portland Sea Dogs
- Fisher Cats edge Rock Cats 4-3 to stay undefeated - New Hampshire Fisher Cats
- Defenders Shutout Portland 3-0 - Connecticut Defenders
- Aeros Media Notes - Akron RubberDucks
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