May 18, 2024 Sea Dogs Game Notes
May 18, 2024 - Eastern League (EL)
Portland Sea Dogs News Release
SOMERSET SINKS SEA DOGS IN 9-4 LOSS The Portland Sea Dogs fell 9-4 to the Somerset Zorros on Friday night. With the loss, the series is split at two apiece. Marcelo Mayer smoked his minor league-leading sixteenth double of the season while going two-for-five at the plate. Mickey Gasper went two-for-four with two RBI. Cody Scroggins pitched a scoreless inning in relief. Mayer hit a double (16) in the first inning to put one aboard before a single from Nick Yorke would bring him home. Matthew Lugo worked a walk before stealing second base. A single off the bat of Phillip Sikes along with an error issued to the second baseman would allow Lugo to score and extend a 2-0 lead. In the bottom of the first, DJ LeMahieu singled to second base to allow Spencer Jones to score and Somerset was on the board. Somerset scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the second to take a 3-2 lead after a pair of errors by the Sea Dogs. In the bottom of the fifth, Ben Cowles doubled to right field to score Anthony Seigler and double a 4-2 lead. Grant Richardson would bring home Cowles with a two-run homer to right center field to put Somerset up by four. With the bases loaded, J.C. Escarra scored from third on a wild pitch from Alex Hoppe to conclude the four-run inning. Richardson hit a ground-rule double to left field in the bottom of the seventh to score Cowles. An RBI single from Escarra would drive in Richardson and put Somerset up by seven. In the bottom of the eighth, Mayer reached second on a fielding error issued to the center fielder before a walk by Lugo would put two on. Gasper drove both of them in with a single to right field but Somerset held the 9-4 lead to secure their second win of the series.
MATTHEW MASHES Matthew Lugo launched his team-leading eighth homer of the season Thursday which also ties for second most across the Eastern League alongside Ben Rice (SOM) and Brady House (HBG). Agustin Ramirez leads the category with twelve total. He leads the Eastern League in slugging (.660) and OPS (1.060) while recording the third most RBI in the league (26). His sixteen extra-base hits and 62 total bases ranks fourth best across the league.a
MAYER ATOP THE MOUNTAIN Marcelo Mayer now leads all of Minor League Baseball in doubles with sixteen total after another double last night. Portland currently leads all of Double-A in doubles with 77 collectively. Mayer also leads the Eastern League in extra-base hits whith nineteen total which also ties for first in all of Double-A. He ranks second in hits (42) in the league and ties for first in runs (27) alongside Agustin Ramirez (SOM). Mayer is batting .412 against Somerset pitching this week which leads the team. He has gone seven- for-seventeen with four runs, three doubles, one walk, three strikeouts, and one stolen base to notch a 1.032 OPS this series.
OLD STOMPING GROUNDS Mickey Gasper, who was selected by the Red Sox in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 Draft in 2023, was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 27th round of the 2018 MLB Draft out of Bryant Univerity. Gasper spent 132 games with the Somerset Patriots combined over 2021-2023. He split time with Double-A Somerset and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre last season and hit .269 with a .423 OBP over 52 games with the Patriots in 2023. Gasper comes into today with nine doubles, three homers, seven RBI, and three stolen bases. He rode a 17-game on-base streak from April 12th to May 4th which still ranks as the fifth longest on-base streak this season amongst Eastern League bats.
PROMISING PROSPECTS IN PORTLAND The top three prospects in Boston's system (according to MLB.com) will begin the season in Portland with Marcelo Mayer (1), Roman Anthony (2), and Kyle Teel (3) headling the Opening Day Roster. In total, the current Sea Dogs roster boasts nine of Boston's Top 30 Prospects according to MLB.com with Wikelman Gonzalez (5), Nick Yorke (6), Blaze Jordan (19), Eddinson Paulino (22), Hunter Dobbins (25), and Angel Bastardo (26) completing the group.
THIS DAY IN SEA DOGS HISTORY: May 18, 2014 - After 236 professional starts as an infielder, Mookie Betts makes his pro debut in centerfield...Portland beats Trenton 2-1 at Hadlock Field, Betts went 1-for-3 with a run scored.
PITCHING PREVIEW LHP Zach Penrod will have the start today for game five of the series in what will be his sixth start of the season. Penrod last pitched on May 12th against the Binghamton Rumble Ponies at Hadlock Field where he tossed 6.0 innings allowing one run on five hits while striking out ten. He did not issue a walk. His ten strikeouts also marked a new career-high in affiliated baseball. Today will mark Penrod's first career start against Somerset after being acquired by the Boston Red Sox as a minor league free agent signing on August 16th, 2023.
Eastern League Stories from May 18, 2024
- Big Seventh Inning Lifts Akron Past Altoona 4-0 - Akron RubberDucks
- Erie Sneaks Past Harrisburg in Seesaw Battle - Erie SeaWolves
- Yard Goats Fall on Friday Night - Hartford Yard Goats
- Pitchers Duel Tilts in Akron's Favor on Saturday Night - Altoona Curve
- Dees Hurls Gem As Offense Falls Short In Saturday Loss - Somerset Patriots
- Ragsdale, Gates, Silva Shut Down Reading Bats in 2-0 Victory - Richmond Flying Squirrels
- Dominant Pitching Downs Somerset, 2-1 on Saturday - Portland Sea Dogs
- Senators Run out of Rallies - Harrisburg Senators
- Fightin Phils Shut out on Saturday Night - Reading Fightin Phils
- Baysox Win Fourth-Straight to Clinch First Road Series Win of the Season - Chesapeake Baysox
- Ponies Fall to Baysox at Home on Saturday Afternoon - Binghamton Rumble Ponies
- May 18, 2024 Sea Dogs Game Notes - Portland Sea Dogs
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