EL1 Portland Sea Dogs

Lester, Sea Dogs Shine in Win

August 27, 2007 - Eastern League (EL1)
Portland Sea Dogs News Release


Portland, ME - Jon Lester allowed only one run over six innings in his first start with the Portland Sea Dogs since 2005 as the Portland Sea Dogs began their final homestand of the regular season with a 5-2 win over the Trenton Thunder before a sellout crowd at Hadlock Field Monday night. With the win, Portland moves into a virtual tie with New Hampshire for the final playoff spot in the Eastern League's Northern Division with a week remaining in the regular season.

Lester (1-0) threw 96 pitches and allowed five hits and four walks over six innings while fanning four. The only run he allowed came on a Noah Hall RBI single in the third frame. At one point, Lester retired 11 consecutive batters from the third through the sixth innings.

Barry Hertzler (perfect 7th) and Andrew Dobies (1 IP, 1 R) received holds for innings of work and Mike James worked a perfect ninth inning for his 21st save.

Lester received standing ovations from the Hadlock Field faithful on several occasions - including his walk from the right field bullpen prior to the game and after pitching to his final batter in the seventh inning. He left after a leadoff walk in the frame - Hertzler induced a double play ball to stem the threat.

With the six innings of one-run work, Lester lowered his career ERA with Portland to 2.57 and below Marc Valdes (2.59 ERA from 1994-1996) to post the lowest career ERA in Sea Dogs franchise history.

Portland scored twice in each of the first two innings off starter Dan McCutchen (3-2). McCutchen walked the bases loaded in the first inning and allowed a two-run single with two outs to Jay Johnson. Jeff Corsaletti, Iggy Suarez and Jeff Natale then stroked consecutive two-out hits to score two more runs in the second inning.

Hall's single in the third inning scored Trenton's first run. Mike Kinkade followed with a single to put runners on first and second with one out, and Lester would retire the next 11 batters in order.

Trenton pulled to within 4-2 in the eighth on Matt Carson's RBI single, but Corsaletti got the run back in the bottom of the frame with a sacrifice fly scoring Andrew Pinckney.

Notes: New Hampshire allowed a run in the bottom of the ninth inning and lost, 3-2 at Connecticut -- the Fisher Cats have eight games remaining to Portland's 10 in the final week of the campaign... The win was only the third at home for Portland since July 27 -- the Sea Dogs were 2-13 in their previous 15 games at Hadlock Field... Mike James converted his 11th consecutive save opportunity and his 21st save of the season, the most by a Sea Dog since Blaine Neal saved 21 games in 2001... Trenton lost for the seventh consecutive time at Hadlock Field dating back to last season's Eastern League playoffs.

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