'Wolves Hold Off Late Charge For A Win
June 15, 2008 - Eastern League (EL1)
Erie SeaWolves News Release
The SeaWolves held off a late charge by the New Hampshire Fisher Cats on Sunday for an 8-6 win at Jerry Uht Park. The 'Wolves have now won two straight and four of their last five games.
The Fisher Cats got ahead against Erie starter Danny Christensen in the top of the first inning. Chris Gutierrez led off the game with a double and he was doubled home by Aaron Mathews for a 1-0 lead. Ryan Patterson then singled and an error by right fielder Casper Wells allowed Mathews to score to make it 2-0 'Cats. Christensen got out of the jam inducing a fly out to second and an inning ending 6-4-3 double play.
Erie struck right back in the bottom of the first inning against New Hampshire starter Brandon Magee. Will Rhymes and Danny Worth both walked to start the inning and Deik Scram singled to load the bases. With one out, Ryan Roberson grounded a ball up the middle, off the glove of shortstop Chris Gutierrez, into center, scoring Rhymes and Worth, tying the game at 2-2.
The 'Wolves would take the lead for good in the bottom of the second when Dusty Ryan led off with his team-leading 10th home run. The solo shot gave Erie a 3-2 lead and it was the second home run for Ryan in the last two games.
Erie added to the lead in the bottom of the third when Roberson singled with one out and was doubled home by Justin Justice for a 4-2 lead. Justice would eventually score on an error by Magee for a 5-2 Erie advantage.
The 'Wolves would score one more run against Magee in the bottom of the fourth. Rhymes led off with a single and stole his 11th base of the season. Rhymes was doubled home by Worth for a 6-2 Erie lead.
The score would remain the same until the bottom of the seventh. Scram led off the inning with a walk and Jeff Frazier singled to put a pair on for Roberson. Frazier has now hit safely in 17 of his last 20 games. Roberson came through with his third hit of the afternoon, a double, scoring Scram for a 7-2 lead. Later in the inning, with the bases loaded, Kody Kirkland hit a sacrifice fly to right, scoring pinch runner Joe Tucker, putting the 'Wolves ahead 8-2. Kirkland leads the team with 13 RBI with the bases loaded.
The Fisher Cats attempted to mount a comeback against the 'Wolves bullpen. After tossing a scoreless seventh, Matt Righter ran into trouble in the eighth. With one out, Ryan Patterson and Jacob Butler connected on back-to-back home runs, cutting the Erie lead in half at 8-4.
In the top of the ninth, reliever Danny Zell came into the game and immediately ran into trouble. Zell walked Josh Kreuzer and gave up a two-run home run to Ryan Klosterman to make it a two-run game at 8-6. After retiring the next batter, Zell yielded a triple to Gutierrez to bring the tying run to the plate. Zell induced a fly ball to right off the bat of Mathews and the 'Wolves made a call to the pen to bring in Casey Fien. Fien picked up his fourth save by getting a fly ball to right off the bat of Patterson to end the game.
Christensen (4-4) picked up the win for the SeaWolves. Christensen went six innings, allowing two runs, one earned, on six hits with two walks and four strikeouts to even his record to .500. Christensen is 4-0 with a no-decision in his last five starts.
The win gives the 'Wolves their first season series victory over the Fisher Cats since 2005. Erie has now won three straight series.
UP NEXT -
Today marks Erie's last home game until June 27. The club will embark on an 11-day, 10 game road trip to Binghamton, Harrisburg and Trenton on Monday. It is Erie's longest road trip since 2005 when they played 10-straight away from "The Uht" June 17-26 with trips to Portland, New Hampshire and Binghamton.
Here are the pitching matchups for the Binghamton series -
TUESDAY at BINGHAMTON - 7:05 FIRST PITCH LHP Luke French (4-6, 4.43 ERA) vs. LHP Jonathon Niese (4-4, 3.18 ERA)
WEDNESDAY at BINGHAMTON - 7:05 FIRST PITCH RHP Josh Rainwater (5-2, 5.10 ERA) vs. RHP Salvador Aguilar (7-1, 2.86 ERA)
THURSDAY at BINGHAMTON - 7:05 FIRST PITCH RHP Andrew Kown (4-7, 5.03 ERA) vs. RHP Tobi Stoner (0-0, 1.80 ERA)
Eastern League Stories from June 15, 2008
- B-Mets Split With New Britain - Binghamton Rumble Ponies
- Rock cats bounce back to split Sunday games - New Britain Rock Cats
- Hernandez Humbles Harrisburg - Chesapeake Baysox
- Road Trip Ends In Style, Sea Dogs Crush Akron, 11-2 - Portland Sea Dogs
- Aeros Fall 11-2; 10-Game Win Streak Ends - Akron RubberDucks
- Senators Drop Rubber Match - Harrisburg Senators
- 'Wolves Hold Off Late Charge For A Win - Erie SeaWolves
- Jackson Homers Again But Trenton Falls To Reading 11-3 - Trenton Thunder
- Curve Can't Sweep Connecticut, Fall 8-0 - Altoona Curve
- Late rally falls short for Fisher Cats in 8-6 loss at Erie Sunday afternoon - New Hampshire Fisher Cats
- Defenders Slam Curve With Shutout - Connecticut Defenders
- Erie SeaWolves vs. New Hampshire Fisher Cats...Game Three of Three...Game Notes - Erie SeaWolves
- Aeros Notes - Akron RubberDucks
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