EL1 Portland Sea Dogs

Late long balls lift Sea Dogs

Published on July 8, 2008 under Eastern League (EL1)
Portland Sea Dogs News Release


(Portland, ME) - New Hampshire received back-to-back homers by Travis Snider and J.P. Arencibia to open the 9th inning as New Hampshire (34-56) beat Portland (49-39), 8-6, in the opener of a three-game series at Hadlock Field. The victory for the Fisher Cats is just their 2nd in the last 12 games. Portland drops to 3-2 on their homestand and 9-8 this season against New Hampshire.

The long-ball was a major factor in the late innings of the series opener. It started when the Sea Dogs grabbed their first lead in the last of the 7th inning.

Fisher Cats' reliever Orlando Roman came on in the 7th after starter Ricky Romero went the first six innings, allowing three runs on seven hits. Roman would get the first two outs quickly before a Maine Monster double by Mark Wagner and a walk to Zach Daeges. That's when Aaron Bates stepped up and delivered a 3-run blast to straight-away centerfield that barely cleared the yellow line and the outstretched arm of CF Ryan Patterson to make it 6-5 Portland. The homer was Bates' 6th of the year and gave him 47 RBI's, tied for the team-lead with Bubba Bell.

Portland's lead would be short-lived however, as New Hampshire came rallying back in the top of the 8th. Chad Rhoades relieved Mike James and ran into trouble right away, walking the lead-off batter Eric Nielsen. It looked like Rhoades would get out of the inning though, retiring the next two batters. But, facing 2B Scott Campbell, Rhoades committed a balk which moved to Nielsen to second base. He then gave up a double to Campbell which drove in Nielsen to tie the game at 6. In the 9th, Rhoades (2-3) would give up the home runs to Snider and Arencibia to lead-off the inning. Snider's home run, his 13th, came on the day he was named to the line-up for the Eastern League home run derby next week during the All-Star Game at New Hampshire. Arencibia's homer was his 5th of the season (2nd against Portland).

New Hampshire scored first in this game against right-hander Adam Mills. Making his first start in front of the hometown crowd, Mills allowed the first two runners to reach on base-hits. After he retired Travis Snider, J.P. Arencibia and Kyle Philips delivered back-to-back RBI singles to give New Hampshire a 2-0 lead. But Portland would counter with Jeff Corsaletti's 11th homer in the bottom of the first inning. The Dogs tied it in the second inning when Jorge Jimenez drove in Daeges with a ground-out to second base. The RBI was Jimenez's first as a member of the Sea Dogs.

Former Sea Dog Andrew Pinckney, who was released by the Boston Red Sox on June 27 (signed with Toronto the next day), went 1-for-4 with a double and a run scored for New Hampshire.

The two teams play the middle game of the series on Wednesday night at Hadlock Field. RHP Michael Bowden (8-4, 2.36) makes his 19th start of the season against RHP Robert Ray (3-2, 2.10). Coverage of Sea Dogs baseball on the U.S. Cellular Sea Dogs Radio Network begins at 6:40 PM with the Correct Deck Pre-Game Show.

Notes...Jeff Corsaletti extended his hitting streak to 12 straight games...Adam Mills hasn't issued a walk in 11 IP at Double-A...Jorge Jimenez picked up his first Double-A RBI.

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Eastern League Stories from July 8, 2008


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