Middlebrooks Blasts Sea Dogs to Victory
July 23, 2011 - Eastern League (EL1)
Portland Sea Dogs News Release
Manchester, New Hampshire- Pitching dominated the first six innings of Saturday night's game, but in the end, one swing of the bat was the difference. With the score tied 1-1 in the eighth, Will Middlebrooks launched a two-run homer to right-center field, lifting the Sea Dogs to a 3-2 win over the New Hampshire Fisher Cats at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium.
Michael Lee and Joel Carreno held the two offenses in check through the first four innings of play, before the Sea Dogs broke through with a run in the fifth. TIm Federowicz and Mitch Dening started the frame with consecutive singles, before Oscar Tejeda flew out and Ryan Dent struck out. Despite the two outs, Carreno wasn't out of the inning yet, as he allowed back-to-back singles to Heiker Meneses and Ryan Khoury, with Khoury's hit driving in Federowicz for a 1-0 Portland lead.
Reliever Kyle Fernandes flirted with danger in the bottom of the inning, giving up a leadoff triple to Moises Sierra, as well as back-to-back walks to Yan Gomes and John Tolisano. However, Fernandes was able to keep his composure, striking out Jonathan Diaz, before getting Craig Stansberry to hit into an inning ending double play, preserving his club's advantage on the scoreboard.
The Sea Dogs held the lead until the bottom of the seventh inning, when the Fisher Cats pulled even. With two outs in the inning, Yan Gomes smacked a solo home run to left field.
The tied score didn't last long, as Portland retook the lead in the eighth on a long ball of their own. With one out, Chih-Hsien Chiang doubled off of the right field wall, then advanced to third base on a passed ball. That set the stage for Will Middlebrooks, who blasted a two-run shot to right-center field, putting the Sea Dogs ahead 3-1.
New Hampshire got one run back on back-to-back doubles by Jonathan Diaz and Craig Stansberry, but that was as close as they got, as the Sea Dogs escaped with a 3-2 victory.
Blake Maxwell (3-2) earned the victory, allowing one run in two and one-third innings. Yohan Pino (2-5) suffered the loss, allowing two runs in his lone inning on the hill.
The Sea Dogs and Fisher Cats will conclude their four-game series on Sunday afternoon at 1:35. Portland has yet to announce a starter, while Chad Jenkins (2-3, 4.33) will get the call for New Hampshire. Portland's next homestand begins on July 28th, when they will start a four-game series against the Altoona Curve.
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