Pimentel Strong Again in 5-2 Sea Dogs Win
Pimentel has been outstanding of late giving the Dogs quality innings as a starter. Stolmy had gone seven innings deep in his previous two starts and turned in another solid performance Tuesday. Pimentel went 6.1 frames and was lights out from two outs in the third inning on retiring 11 straight Trenton hitters. He finally gave up another hit in the sixth to J.R. Murphy who was his final batter. Pimentel gave up two runs on four hits while striking out six and walking one.
Reynaldo Rodriguez went 3-for-4 on the night with two long balls and five RBI. Rodriguez extended his hitting streak to five games and is 9-for-24 (.375) in that stretch. Rodriguez's homer in the eighth put the game to bed 5-2. Jackie Bradley Jr. had a 2-for-4 performance scoring a run. Portland jumped on the scoreboard immediately in its half of the first inning. Bradley Jr. led-off the frame with a base hit to right field. Bradley has hit safely in nine of his last 12 games. Two batters later Marquez Smith picked up his 13th double of the season in front of Rodriguez. Rodriguez then blasted a three run homer putting the Sea Dogs in front 3-0. Tuesday was the third game in a row that the Sea Dogs have benefitted from a first inning home run dating back to the final game of the New Hampshire series on July 22nd. In Trenton's half of the second Melky Mesa sped to a triple to lead-off. After a J.R. Murphy walk, Mesa came in to score on a force out to second hit by Kevin Mahoney slimming the Sea Dogs lead to 3-1.
Josh Fields replaced Pimentel in the top of the seventh and inherited Murphy on first base. Kevin Mahoney doubled to right field putting runners on second and third. Murphy then came in to score on a Josh Fields wild pitch closing the book on Pimentel's night and making the score 3-2. Fields (2.83) completed the night on the mound for Portland earning his seventh save of the season and struck out a season high five batters. Shaeffer Hall (8-7, 3.50) settled in after giving up three runs in the first inning but took the loss. Hall tossed 7.2 innings giving up four runs on seven hits. He also struck out three and walked one.
The Sea Dogs and Trenton Thunder will take to Hadlock Field for the final game of the three game series Wednesday at 6:00 PM. Trenton will send RHP Brett Marshall (10-4, 2.97) to the mound. Portland, looking to sweep the three game series, has yet to announce a starting pitcher. Catch all of the game action on 95.5/95.9 FM WPEI. Tickets are available at www.seadogs.com.