Sea Dogs Squeak Out Win Over Defenders
June 19, 2007 - Eastern League (EL1)
Connecticut Defenders News Release
The Connecticut Defenders opened a four game set with the Portland Sea Dogs on Tuesday June 19 at Dodd Stadium. Celebrating "Juneteenth" the Defenders wore yellow "Yellow Jackets" jerseys to commemorate an integrated baseball team from the 1930's as they took on knuckleballer Charlie Zink of the Sea Dogs. Zink was dominant on the evening and kept the Defenders bats at bay to lead the Sea Dogs to a 2-1 victory.
The Sea Dogs struck first in the ball game against LHP Geno Espineli, who was quite impressive throughout the night himself. In the top of the fourth inning back-to-back singles by OF Jay Johnson and C Dusty Brown put runners at the corners with 1 out. Designated Hitter Andrew Pinckney delivered a sacrifice fly to score Johnson and put the Sea Dogs up 1-0. Portland extended their lead to 2 runs in the top of the fifth inning. 2B Iggy Suarez singled with 1 out in the inning. OF Jeff Corsaletti proceeded to ground a ball to 1B Pat Dobson, he'd step on the bag and then throw to second base to put Suarez in a run down. His throw to second sailed over the head of a covering Mark Minicozzi and Suarez reached second base safely. The errant throw proved costly as SS Jed Lowrie singled to drive in Suarez and put the Sea Dogs up 2-0.
But in the bottom of the inning the Defenders broke the shutout and cut the lead to 1 run. DH Steve Holm lined a 1-out double to left field that one hopped the wall and C Todd Jennings followed with nearly the exact same hit to bring in Holm and cut the Sea Dogs lead to 2-1.
That would be all the Defenders could manage against Charlie Zink as he went the distance and put zeros on the board the rest of the way. The Defenders nearly got something cooking in the bottom of the ninth. Eugenio Velez reached base on what appeared to be a single with 1 out. But Velez was called out by home plate umpire Mark Ripperger for stepping out of the box. The call infuriated Manager Dave Machemer and looked even more heartbreaking as OF John Bowker followed with a double to right field that undoubtedly would have scored had Velez reached safely. Instead, a batter later Zink Defenders comeback hopes with a strikeout of OF Carlos Sosa.
Geno Espineli (L, 5-4) was a hard luck loser after tossing 8 full innings, 2 runs, 5 hits, and striking out 5 batters. Charlie Zink (W, 6-2) picked up his sixth win of the season after pitching a complete game, 1-run effort, scattering 6 hits, walking 2, and striking out 8 batters. The Defenders collected 5 doubles in the game with 1 out or less, but could only score one of them. Simon Klink went 1 for 2 with an RBI in the loss. The Defenders host the Sea Dogs in a double-header on Wednesday June 20 starting at 5:35 p.m.
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