EL1 Erie SeaWolves

'Wolves Take Down 'Cats 6-3

Published on August 21, 2008 under Eastern League (EL1)
Erie SeaWolves News Release


The SeaWolves won their second consecutive game as they took down the New Britain Rock Cats on Thursday night by a score of 6-3. The win notched a series win against the ‘Cats and a season series split.

The SeaWolves struck first in the top of the first inning against New Britain starter Yohan Pino. With one out, James Skelton stepped in and connected with a solo home run, his second, over the wall in left for a 1-0 Erie lead.

The lead was short lived as the Rock Cats responded in the bottom of the first against Erie starter Danny Christensen. Matt Tolbert led off with a double and he moved over to third with one out when Dustin Martin reached on an error by Ryan Roberson. David Winfree followed with an RBI double, scoring Tolbert, tying the game at 1-1. Later in the inning with the bases loaded, Toby Gardenhire walked to put the ‘Cats ahead 2-1.

The ‘Wolves came right back to regain the lead in the top of the second. Deik Scram led off and was hit by a pitch. Jeff Frazier walked and Santo De Leon reached on an error to load the bases for Caonabo Cosme. Cosme struck out for the first out but in stepped Will Rhymes who connected on the first of his four singles in the game, driving home Scram, tying the game at 2-2. With the bases still loaded, Skelton hit a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Frazier, putting the ‘Wolves ahead 3-2. Erie would never trail from that point in the game.

In the top of the sixth, Rhymes singled with two outs and stole second for his 16th steal of the season. Skelton followed with his second hit and third RBI of the game as he drove home Rhymes for a 4-2 lead. The single for Rhymes was his 152nd of the season which put him alone in second place in SeaWolves history as he passed Shawn Wooten who had 151 hits in 1999. Only Omar Infante (2001) had more hits in a single season at 163. Rhymes finished the night with 154 hits, nine shy of tying the all-time mark.

In the top of the seventh, Erie would add another run to go ahead 5-2. Wilkin Ramirez reached on a fielder's choice and with two outs, was tripled home on Scram's third three-bagger of the season.

Erie would take its largest lead of the ninth in the top of the eighth inning when De Leon led off and clubbed his seventh home run of the season. The solo-shot put the ‘Wolves ahead 6-2. It was the second home run of the series for De Leon.

The Rock Cats would score an unearned run in the bottom of the eighth to cut the Erie lead to 6-3 against reliever Brendan Wise, but the ‘Cats would get no closer.

In the bottom of the ninth inning, Rudy Darrow worked a perfect inning with one strikeout as he picked up his fourth save of the season, preserving the Erie win.

Christensen (7-8) calmed down after a 28-pitch first inning as he finished the game going seven, the final six scoreless. He finished the night allowing two runs, one earned, on five hits with three walks and seven strikeouts. At one point, from the last out of the first to the first out in the fifth, Christensen retired 11-straight hitters.

The win improved the SeaWolves to 23-12 and to 7-2-1 in series following the Eastern League all-star break.

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The SeaWolves will conclude their final road trip of the 2008 season with a trip to Dodd Stadium as they take on the Connecticut Defenders in a three-game weekend series.




Eastern League Stories from August 21, 2008


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