Defenders Win 3-2
May 22, 2009 - Eastern League (EL1)
Connecticut Defenders News Release
PORTLAND, ME- Connecticut (23-18) used a come from behind tactic to defeat Portland 3-2 Friday night from Hadlock Field to claim game one of the best of four series and hold onto their first place position in the Northern Division.
The Defenders waited until the Sea Dog bullpen came in to mount their comeback and plated all three runs in the seventh inning to pick up their third straight win.
LF-Aaron Bates gave Portland the early lead with and RBI single in the first inning and C-Mark Wagner added another with a sacrifice fly in the fifth to give the Sea Dogs a 2-0 advantage.
Sea Dog's starter, RHP-Junichi Tazawa was facing the Defenders for the fourth time this season and had lost two at the hands of Connecticut on his home field. Tawzawa kept the Defenders offense silent tossing six scoreless inning of three hit ball, walked two and struck out five in the no decision.
Connecticut rattled Tazawa in his final frame, loading the bases with one out but came up empty as he found a way to escape the inning unmarked.
Portland went to the bullpen in the top of the seventh and that's all Connecticut needed to see. With one out, RF-Mike Mooney got hit by a pitch, CF-Mike McBryde singled and pinch hitter Tyler LaTorre ripped an RBI single through the right side of the infield to get the Defenders on the scoreboard. 2B-Brock Bond beat out an inning ending double play which allowed McBryde to score from third and kept the inning alive for 3B-Brad Boyer to smash his third hit of the game, a one hopper of the right field wall that plated Bond all the way from first and gave Connecticut the 3-2 lead for good. Boyer led the offense for the second straight game going 3 for 5 with a pair of doubles, a single and an RBI.
Defender's starter, RHP- Jesse Foppert hurled four strong innings allowing two earned runs off of four hits, walked three and fanned three. Ben Snyder (3-1) came in relief and fired 3.2 scoreless innings, allowed just two hits and struck out four while picking up his third win. Joe Paterson obtained his third save with a 1, 2, 3 ninth inning.
Tomorrow's game two matchup has Defenders RHP- Madison Bumgarner (2-0) facing Sea Dog's righty, Blake Maxwell (0-3) in a 1:00pm ballgame.
Catch all the action starting with the Defenders Pre-Game Show at 12:45 on the Defenders Flagship Station WICH 1310AM or online at ctdefenders.com.
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