EL1 Portland Sea Dogs

'Dogs and 'Cats Split Double Dip 5-2, 0-2

Published on July 12, 2014 under Eastern League (EL1)
Portland Sea Dogs News Release


Portland, Maine - The Portland Sea Dogs (61-34) and New Hampshire Fisher Cats (44-50) split a doubleheader Saturday night at Hadlock Field. The 'Dogs too game one 5-2 and New Hampshire battled back to win game two 2-0 moving the season series to 9-4 in favor of Portland.

GAME ONE RECAP

The Fisher Cats returned the favor from Friday night and plated a run in the first inning against Brian Johnson and the Sea Dogs. Kevin Nolan hit a one out double to left, which was bobbled by Keury De La Cruz and the runner moved to third. Andy Burns followed with a sacrifice fly to right and put the 'Cats in front 1-0.

Radhames Liz came out and tossed two scoreless innings, but ran into trouble in the third. The veteran righty was greeted by a leadoff double off the bat by Ryan Dent; he then hit Heiker Meneses, and gave up a bunt single to Peter Hissey, which loaded the bases for Shannon Wilkerson.

The center fielder connected for a two-run single and gave the Sea Dogs a lead they would not relinquish. Liz (2-2) was shaken up and loaded the bases again with nobody out. The righty then hit both Michael Almanzar and David Chester, which plated two more runs, and upped the lead to 4-1.

Johnson (8-2) settled into a groove after the first and retired a stretch of seven in a row before a leadoff walk began the fourth. The southpaw worked around a couple of base runners in the fourth before he had a perfect fifth and sixth innings.

Michael Crouse stepped in to begin the seventh and greeted the southpaw with a mammoth solo home run over the Maine Monster, cutting the Portland lead to 5-2. Johnson finished his second complete game of the season by retiring the final three hitters in order.

Johnson took home with win, pitching the full seven innings, giving up two runs, one earned on three hits, two walks and four strikeouts. The complete game was the second of the season, and his career for Johnson. Liz took the loss and pitched four and two-thirds innings, allowing all five runs, all earned, on eight hits, a walk, three hit batters, and five strikeouts.

GAME TWO RECAP

New Hampshire began game two in a very similar fashion to the way they began game one, by scoring an unearned run in the first inning. Jon Berti led off the game with a ground ball to third that Michael Almanzar misplayed into left field.

Berti followed by stealing second, before he stole third and scored on a throwing error by the catcher Mike Brenly to make it 1-0 'Cats. Wilfredo Boscan settled in and pitched through the first without any more damage done.

Boscan (1-3) maneuvered in and out of traffic across the second and third innings, before retiring the side in order in the fourth.

The righty headed out for the fifth and retired the first two hitters in a row before Berti reached on an infield single and moved to second on a throwing error by Almanzar. Kevin Nolan followed and knocked a line drive into right for an RBI single that doubled the lead to 2-0.

On the other side of the rubber it was New Hampshire's John Anderson that silenced the Sea Dogs' lineup. Anderson gave up a leadoff single in the first, but struck out a pair in the first and second innings respectively and worked around an error in the third, while picking up his fifth strikeout.

Anderson (2-1) retired the side in order in the fourth, striking out another pair, and completed his outing in the fifth by facing the minimum. The Sea Dogs third base runner of the night came courtesy of a leadoff walk from the southpaw, but he followed by earning his eighth strikeout and inducing an inning-ending double play.

New Hampshire's Gregory Infante and Portland's Aaron Kurcz took over for their respective starters and both shoved in their outings.

Kurcz pitched the final two and one-third innings in scoreless fashion. The hard throwing righty struck out a season-high six batters and has now upped his streak to Infante duplicated the effort for New Hampshire and struck out three over the final two innings, earning his 11th save in the process.

The starters were the story in this game, both receiving the decisions. For Boscan he pitched four and two-thirds, gave up the two unearned runs, on five hits, a walk and a season-high six strikeouts. For Anderson, he pitched the five scoreless frames and gave up just the one hit, walked one, and struck out a season-high eight.

The Sea Dogs and Fisher Cats continue the five-game series with game four, Sunday afternoon at 1:00 PM from Hadlock Field. RHP Mike McCarthy (8-4, 4.30) is slated to go for Portland and will be up against LHP Richard Bleier (4-5, 3.80) of the Fisher Cats. Coverage begins at 12:40 PM on the WPEI U.S. Cellular Sea Dogs Radio Network. MiLB.TV coverage begins at 12:55 PM.

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Eastern League Stories from July 12, 2014


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