Defenders Sweep Double Dip
August 9, 2008 - Eastern League (EL1)
Connecticut Defenders News Release
NORWICH, CT- Game one of a double-header with the Portland Sea Dogs was all Connecticut as Mike Mooney's 7 RBI night was the main attraction in a 14-6 win. Game two took a heroic home run off the bat of Pablo Sandoval and lockdown pitching to secure the uncomfortable 5-4 victory.
The Defenders put on a hitting clinic in the first game of the twin-bill. It started with a grand slam off the stick of Mooney in the first to give Connecticut an early 4-0 lead.
Portland fought back for one run in the second on an Aaron Bates RBI double, but the Defs kept the pressure on in the last of the frame. Antoan Richardson launched a solo bomb with one out, and Pablo Sandoval tapped an infield single up the middle to plate Ryan Rohlinger to give Connecticut a 6-1 advantage.
A two-run shot by Simon Klink and a one-run homer by Dave Maroul in the third made it 9-1, but the Defs were just getting started.
In the fourth, Mooney belted his second homer of the game and batted in his fifth and six as the Defenders claimed an 11-1 lead.
With greed in their eyes and malice in their hearts, the Defenders continued their offensive onslaught. Mooney slashed a double to score Olmo Rosario (his seventh RBI), Eddy Martinez-Esteve drove a run in on a groundout and Simon Klink singled home one more as the lead ballooned to 14-2.
Portland would rally for four in the seventh, but were still beat badly, 14-6. Daryl Maday was the recipient of the plethora of runs and picked up his first Double-A win, Dustin Richardson lost his seventh contest and the Defenders went into game two with a lot of momentum.
Despite the demoralization of Portland in game one, they started out well in game two. Lars Anderson slapped a pair of two-run doubles in the first and third innings, respectively as the Dogs claimed a 4-0 lead.
The Defenders fought back in the last of the fourth when Carlos Sosa hit into a 6-4-3 double play but plated a run to make it a 4-1 game.
The bottom of the fifth was electric; it was an inning to remember. Maroul's one out single got things started, Rohlinger drew a two-out walk and Rosario ripped a double to score Maroul to shrink the lead to 4-2. With two outs and two on, Sandoval represented the go-ahead run. After an epic battle with relief pitcher Richard Lentz, the count was three balls and two strikes. Finally, a fastball was left too high in the zone and Sandoval punished the sphere to right-center field. In one swing of the bat, Connecticut was suddenly ahead, 5-4.
Kelvin Pichardo, Jason Waddell and finally Justin Hedrick preserved the win for the Defenders on the mound. Pichardo was credited with his second win, Lentz lost his first, and Hedrick chucked an exciting seventh as he nailed down save number 8.
The Defenders have taken the first four out of five against Portland and will look for their fifth win in four days on Sunday at Dodd Stadium at 1:05pm. Tickets are available at ctdefenders.com or by calling the box office at (860) 887-7962.
• Discuss this story on the Eastern League message board...
Eastern League Stories from August 9, 2008
- Rock Cats Shred âSox - Chesapeake Baysox
- Defenders Sweep Double Dip - Connecticut Defenders
- New Hampshire Out-Homers B-Mets - Binghamton Rumble Ponies
- Akron slips past Trenton 3-1 - Trenton Thunder
- Senators Fall To Curve, 7-4 - Harrisburg Senators
- Connecticut Sweeps Portland Saturday Night, 14-6 and 5-4 - Portland Sea Dogs
- Pinckney's 9th inning HR gives Fisher Cats a 5-3 win over Mets - New Hampshire Fisher Cats
- 14-Hit Attack leads Curve past Senators, 7-4 - Altoona Curve
- Erie SeaWolves at Reading Phillies...Game Three of Four...Game Notes - Erie SeaWolves
- Fisher Cats Donate Tickets to Tornado Victims - New Hampshire Fisher Cats
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
