Felmy Drives Defenders Past Sea Dogs 7-4
April 25, 2009 - Eastern League (EL1)
Connecticut Defenders News Release
PORTLAND, ME- A shaky start for the Defenders ends with a smile and a win as they defeated the Portland Sea Dogs 7-4 Saturday afternoon at Hadlock Field to take a 2-1 lead in the best of 4 series.
A slow moving ballgame quickly turned in favor of Connecticut when LF-Bobby Felmy hit a monster three run homerun to right-center field to give the Defenders a 6-4 lead and they wouldn't look back from there.
RHP-Brooks McNiven made his fourth start of the season for the Defenders and just didn't have it. Portland touched McNiven up for four runs in the bottom of the first to give their starter, RHP-Junichi Tazawa a comfortable lead. McNiven lasted only three innings giving up three earned runs, walked four and struck out one in the no decision.
The Defenders cut the lead in half in the top of the second on a slap single inside the third base bag by C-Tyler LaTorre, who made his first start of the season and it plated Mooney and D'Alessio. Portland led 4-2.
DH-Andy D'Alessio finally showed off his power by blasting a solo shot in the fourth inning to help trim the Portland lead to one, 4-3.
In the fifth, RF-Tyler Graham got aboard with a one out base hit then picked up his third stolen base of the year putting him into scoring position. 2B-Brock Bond followed with a walk, then LF-Bobby Felmy took flight for the first time all season over the right-center field wall to catapult the Defenders in front 6-4.
Connecticut would add another run in the eighth when Bond delivered a two out triple, his first of the season and then scored on a Felmy double to the gap. Felmy finished 2 for 5 with four RBI's and gave the Defenders a 7-4 advantage.
Defenders reliever, RHP-Dan Griffin (1-0) turned in an impressive two scoreless innings, allowed just one hit, one walk and stuck out two in route to his first win. The combination of Griffin, Matt Yourkin and Joe Paterson collected ten strikeouts over the course of the game once they took over for McNiven in the fourth inning.
LHP-Joe Paterson collected his first save of the season with two scoreless innings and struck out four.
Sea Dogs starter, RHP-Junichi Tazawa (1-2) suffered his second loss of the season, both by the hands of the Defenders by checking in 5.2 innings of work, allowed six earned runs off of six hits, walked two and struck out four.
Connecticut looks for the series win tomorrow at 1:00pm when they send LHP-Jesse English (1-2) to the hill for just his second start up against RHP-Blake Maxwell (0-0) who recently got called up to double-A Portland. Catch all the action on the Defenders Flagship Station WICH 1310AM or online at ctdefenders.com.
The Defenders return home on May 1 to face the Portland Sea Dogs (Red Sox). For more information or to purchase tickets, call the Defenders Box Office at (860)-887-7962 or online at ctdefenders.com.
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