Fields' Homer Walks 'Wolves Off 5-4 Over Portland
With the game tied at 4-4 in the bottom of the ninth, Brock Huntzinger was called upon to preserve the tie game and get it into extra innings. Fields was the first scheduled hitter against the big righty and he worked the count 3-1 in his favor. The left fielder got a fastball in the zone and crushed it to right for the game winning home run.
The loss for Huntzinger (3-5) is his first since being converted to a reliever.
Portland's scoring began in the first courtesy of Bryce Brentz. The right fielder put the 'Dogs in front with an RBI double that scored Jackie Bradley Jr. The 'Dogs pulled to within two in the second on Christian Vazquez's sacrifice fly that scored Xander Bogaerts from third. The shortstop added another two hits in his third Double-A game.
Ryan Dent served as the hero of the moment in the fourth. The second baseman crushed a two-run shot to left-center that pushed Christian Vazquez home and pulled the Sea Dogs even with the SeaWolves at 4-4.
Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the first, the SeaWolves exploded for four runs off of Portland starter Mike MacDonald. With the bases loaded and no outs, Jordan Lennerton plated the first run on a fielder's choice to tie the game. Avasail Garcia followed with a mammoth three-run blast that put Erie up 4-1.
MacDonald settled down after his shaky first inning and tossed five innings. The Maine native allowed the four runs on six hits. He walked one and struck out two. The home run hit by Garcia was the first allowed by the righty in his time with the Sea Dogs this season.
Jason Urquidez was first to throw in the battle of the 'pens and he did his job to near-perfection. The righty tossed three scoreless frames and allowed just three hits and a walk against him. He added four strikeouts before handing it over to Huntzinger in the ninth.
James Avery took the hill for Erie in search of his eleventh win, but left after six innings with a no decision. The righty battled all night, and finished allowing four runs on nine hits; he walked three and struck out five.
Erie's bullpen was stellar as a pair of Rob's shut out the Sea Dogs over the final three frames. Robbie Weinhardt pitched a scoreless seventh and eighth, and Rob Waite (1-0) was the winner after pitching a scoreless ninth.
Prime Motor Group Player of the Game: Jason Urquidez 3IP, 0R, 3H, 1BB, 4K
The Sea Dogs wrap up a six game road trip with the finale of a three game series against the Erie SeaWolves tomorrow afternoon at 1:35 PM. RHP Brandon Workman will make his Double-A debut with the Portland Sea Dogs. He will be opposed by Erie's LHP Jared Wesson (7-7, 5.77). All of the action can be heard live on 95.5/ 95.9 FM WPEI. The Sea Dogs return home for a six game homestand on Tuesday, August 14th. Tickets are available for all remaining 2012 Sea Dogs home games and can be purchased by calling the Sea Dogs Ticket Office at 207-879-9500 or online at www.seadogs.com.