Harrisburg, PA - On Thursday night at Metro Bank Park in front of the largest crowd ever, 8,637, the Harrisburg Senators clinched their first division championship since 1997 with a 10-0 win over the Portland Sea Dogs. The Senators clinched the Western Division Championship and now know they'll play next Wednesday and Thursday here at Metro Bank Park against either Richmond or Bowie.

Stephen Strasburg was efficient in his return to Metro Bank Park. He faced just 19 batters in six innings and allowed just one hit, a leadoff double in the sixth inning. He struck out four and didn't walk a batter and induced six groundout outs. Pat McCoy and Hassan Pena finished the shutout, throwing the final three innings.

Tim Pahuta hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the third, giving the Senators a 4-0 lead and Stephen King hit a grand slam in the fifth, giving the Sens a 9-0 lead. Leonard Davis and Chris Rahl both had rbi singles in the game. Harrisburg pounded out 12 hits in the game. Ivan Rodriguez had two hits along with Pahuta and King. Every Sens starter had a hit in the game.

Harrisburg also clinched the best regular season record in the Eastern League and improved to 79-59 on the season.

The play game one of a four-game regular season ending series on Friday night at 7:05 p.m. against the Akron Aeros. The game can be heard on 1460am The Ticket, on the Internet through the Senators website, and on your ipad or iphone beginning at 6:50 p.m.