Walk this way, Sea Dogs behind Iggy, win 7-6
September 5, 2009 - Eastern League (EL1)
Portland Sea Dogs News Release
(Portland, ME) - SS Iggy Suarez snapped a 6-6 tie with a bases-loaded, four-pitch walk in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the Portland Sea Dogs (66-73) past the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (63-77) 7-6 on Saturday night at Hadlock Field. Portland has walk-off wins in both games of the series against the Fisher Cats.
RHP Chad Rhoades (6-2) worked a 1-2-3 top of the ninth inning to earn the win and tie LHP Roydrick Merritt for the league-lead in appearances (55). RHP Zach Dials (1-5) suffered the loss for New Hampshire, yielding one hit, one run but three walks in just .2 IP.
New Hampshire walked 13 batters but held the Sea Dogs 5-for-20 with runners-in-scoring position. LHP Tommy Hottovy relieved RHP Ryne Miller in the sixth inning and worked three scoreless frames. Miller had his toughest outing as a starter, surrendering six runs on seven hits over 5 IP.
Trailing 6-4, Portland tied the game in the eighth inning off RHP Leon Boyd. SS Yamaico Navarro led off the inning with a walk, RF Jason Place and Suarez singled. LF Daniel Nava flied out to left field but CF Ryan Kalish drew a bases-loaded walk. 3B Jorge Jimenez tied the game with a broken-bat single to right field, scoring Place but Suarez was thrown out at home.
The Fisher Cats began the night by scoring in their first three turns against RHP Ryne Miller. 1B David Cooper knocked in the game's first run with a 2-out, RBI single in the first inning. New Hampshire tacked on two runs in the second inning. RF Moises Sierra produced a sac-fly and LF Todd Donovan smacked a run-scoring double.
Portland cut the deficit to 3-2 in the second inning off RHP Sean Smith. 1B Lars Anderson and C Luis Exposito each walked with one out. SS Yamaico Navarro and Suarez lined RBI singles but the 'Cats scored three in the third. 2B Brad Emaus (single), Cooper (single), DH Nick Gorneault (walk) and CF Darrin Mastroianni (2-run single) all reached to start the inning. Miller induced a double-play ball but uncorked a wild pitch to score Gorneault, and give the Fisher Cats a 6-2 advantage.
LF Daniel Nava came through with two outs in the fourth inning, smacked a double to dead center field, scoring Exposito and Navarro, bringing the Sea Dogs within two runs, 6-4.
The Sea Dogs and Fisher Cats play game 3 of their series on Sunday night from Hadlock Field beginning at 1:00 PM. Catch all the action on the U.S. Cellular Sea Dogs Radio Network beginning at 12:30 PM with the Pre-Game Show built by CorrectDeck. RHP Ryne Lawson (3-12, 6.15) makes his final start of the season against RHP Andrew Liebel (1-0, 2.25).
Notes...Portland has 6 walk-off wins this season, including two on bases-loaded walks, Anderson picked up the first on April 10 vs. Connecticut...Exposito has hit safely in a team-high 11 straight games, the longest streak since Aaron Bates, who hit in 16 straight last April...New Hampshire manager Gary Cathcart and Mastroianni were both ejected.
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