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Portland Comes Out On Top, 18-9

June 1, 2011 - Eastern League (EL1)
New Britain Rock Cats News Release


NEW BRITAIN, CT - The Rock Cats busted out the lumber for eight runs in the second inning - highlighted by two home runs - but Portland battled back and kept going to shock the ‘Cats, 18-9.

In a game that the Rock Cats appeared to have locked up early the pitching faltered and failed to hold the lead. The teams combined to pound out 34 hits, including 21 by the Sea Dogs. Every player in Portland's lineup had at least one hit, led by four-hit nights by Ryan Lavarnway and Tim Federowicz. Jorge Padron knocked in a game-high five runs for the Dogs.

The Rock Cats started off hot when Evan Bigley opened the bottom of the second inning started with a base hit into center field. Yangervis Solarte then worked a walk before a wild pitch by Stolmy Pimentel allowed Bigley to move to third. Deibinson Romero then lined a double into left that knocked in Bigley for the first run of the game. Another wild pitch by Pimentel allowed Solarte to cross the plate for the 2-0 advantage. Pimentel then walked Mike Hollimon before serving up a three-run blast to catcher Jair Fernandez. Chris Cates doubled and Steve Singleton was hit by a pitch before Chris Parmelee slugged another three-run blast for the Rock Cats for the 8-0 lead.

Pimentel was pulled from the game after the second home run. He finished with eight runs on five hits in 1 1/3 innings. Bigley greeted reliever Seth Garrison with a double to center as the Rock Cats batted around the order. Garrison forced a Solarte fly out and Romero groundout to escape the inning without further damage.

Rock Cats starter Deolis Guerra allowed two singles in both the first and second innings but escaped each inning without runs on the board. He retired the first two batters he faced in the third before issuing a walk to Chih-Hsien Chiang. A wild pitch by Guerra moved Chiang to second before Will Middlebrooks lined a single to center to knock in Portland's first run of the game.

New Britain struck again in the fourth when Bigley doubled and scored on a single by Hollimon to widen the gap, 9-1.

The Sea Dogs came alive in the fifth with a six-run inning. Alex Hassan doubled and scored on Lavarnway's single to center for the first run of the inning. Federowicz added an RBI single that scored Lavarnway and Chiang, who reached on a double, scored on a groundout by Oscar Tejeda. Padron added a two-run double to bring the Sea Dogs within striking distance, 9-6. Santos Arias entered the game in relief of Guerra, who finished with seven runs on 10 hits in 4 2/3 innings. Vladimir Frias doubled off of Arias to knock in Padron and bring the Sea Dogs to within two runs.

Middlebrooks added an RBI single in the sixth inning to close the gap to one run. Portland then broke out for four runs in the eighth inning. Bruce Pugh was sent to the mound to start the inning and he was greeted by a Lavarnway single. Chiang followed with a double to center that plated Lavarnway for the tying run. Chiang then scored the go-ahead run on a single by Federowicz. With the bases loaded and two outs, Jeremy Hazelbaker drilled a double to right field to knock in two runs. Padron was thrown out at the plate to end the inning.

The Sea Dogs remained hot into the ninth inning. Lavarnway slugged his 12th home run of the season - a two-run shot over the left field wall to blow open the game, 14-9. The Rock Cats turned the ball over to 5'3" infielder Chris Cates, who entered the game with two men on and one out and struck out the first batter he faced. Cates then served up a three-run shot to Padron. He allowed a double to Frias and an RBI double to Hazelbaker before forcing an inning-ending groundout.

Bigley finished the night with a team-high three hits for the Rock Cats, including two doubles, and scored two runs.

Pugh (0-1) suffered the loss for the Rock Cats after being charged with eight runs on five hits and four walks in 1 1/3 innings. Cesar Cabral (1-3) picked up the win with three scoreless innings in relief. Kyle Fernandes notched his first save of the season with two shutout innings.

ALLSTATE PLAYER OF THE GAME: SS/P Chris Cates went 2-for-4 with a run scored before moving to the pitcher's mound in the top of the ninth. He was charged with two runs on three hits in 2/3 of an inning but managed to end the ninth for the Rock Cats. He also struck out the first batter he faced.



Eastern League Stories from June 1, 2011


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