Sea Dogs Drop Two Games to the Rock Cats

PORTLAND, MAINE - The Portland Sea Dogs (34-18) gave up two runs late in the completion of the suspended game 9-8 and had a late rally, but fell in the second game 4-2 to the New Britain Rock Cats (22-28) Wednesday night at Hadlock Field. The losses send the Sea Dogs to just the second home series loss of the season.

SUSPENDED GAME FROM TUESDAY

Mickey Pena climbed the hill for Portland and struggled on the cold dreary night at Hadlock. The starter was roughed up for five runs and recorded just one out before being lifted. 

Former Portland Sea Dog Tony Thomas walked and kicked off the rally with one out. Eastern League Player of the Week, Daniel Ortiz followed with an RBI triple and was driven home on Kennys Vargas' single. Another former Sea Dogs, Reynaldo Rodriguez crushed a two-run shot over the Maine Monster, which doubled the lead to 4-0 over Pena and Portland. 

The Rock Cats capped off their scoring with an RBI double off the bat of Brandon Waring, which ended Pena's night. Matty Ott came out of the bullpen and retired the two hitters he faced, stranded two in scoring position, kept it a 5-0 game. 

Portland began its comeback with a run in the first. Peter Hissey hit a leadoff single, moved to second on a wild pitch from New Britain's Pat Dean and scored on Stefan Welch's single to center. 

Dean was out for the second inning, but allowed the first five to reach and opened the door for the Sea Dogs. Sean Coyle, Mike Brenly, and Heiker Meneses all singled to begin the inning and Bo Greenwell drove home a pair with a double to right-center, which cut the deficit to 5-3.  

The starter tossed a wild pitch to plate Meneses and Derrik Gibson tied the game at 5-5 with a sacrifice fly to center before the skies opened and the rain poured down. The game was delayed for two hours and eight minutes before it was suspended. 

Play resumed Wednesday at the top of the five o'clock hour, and when it did, Daniel Turpen was on the hill facing Stefan Welch. The third baseman drew a walk and with two out Blake Swihart doubled to left, plated a pair and gave the Sea Dogs a 7-5 lead. 

Wilfredo Boscan took the hill for Portland as the game resumed and gave the 'Dogs more than they could have asked for. The righty retired the first three he faced, in order, before the Rock Cats got one back in the fourth on an RBI single by Kennys Vargas. 

With the 7-6 lead, Boscan pitched another three innings in scoreless fashion to wrap up his outing. He went a season-high five innings, gave up the one earned run on four hits, a walk, and tallied five strikeouts. His final pitch tally was 77 and 56 for strikes. 

The Sea Dogs picked up another run in the seventh, courtesy of a Sean Coyle single. The designated hitter broke his bat, singled to shallow left and scored Welch from second to give Portland the 8-6 lead. 

Miguel Celestino was next out of the Portland 'pen and allowed a run on a pair of hits in the eighth. Tony Thomas doubled to center and scored on Ortiz's single to right, which cut it to 8-7 in favor for the Sea Dogs. 

Celestino (0-2) was sent back out for the ninth inning and the Rock Cats took advantage of the pitcher who couldn't locate his fastball. Rodriguez began the inning with a single and scored on Nate Hanson's double to left-center. The go-ahead run was scored on a fielder's choice hit into by Brad Boyer and New Britain held its first lead since the first inning. 

Lester Oliveros (2-1) earned the win in relief with a scoreless eighth and a perfect ninth. The Sea Dogs garnered just one base runner against the righty in the final two frames. 

WEDNESDAY'S GAME STORY - 7 INNINGS

Mike Augliera and the Portland Sea Dogs got a full dose of the reigning Eastern League Player of the Week, Daniel Ortiz in the nightcap of the pseudo-doubleheader Wednesday night at Hadlock Field. 

The New Britain left fielder got things going in the top of the first inning and gave the visitors an early 1-0 lead. Ortiz drove home Corey Wimberly with an RBI single in the top of the first after the centerfielder singled, stole second, and moved to third on a ground out. 

Augliera dismissed the side in order in the second, but fell victim to Ortiz again in the third. With one out, Wimberly and Brad Boyer reached on a single and double respectively before Ortiz knocked them both in with a two-run double to right field. 

On the other side of the rubber it was the southpaw Taylor Rogers that silenced the Sea Dogs lineup. The lefty gave up two hits in the first, but retired Sean Coyle for the final out of the inning, with no harm done. 

The next real chance for Portland came with one down in the fourth. Coyle doubled to right-center and Matt Spring followed with a walk, which put two on for Portland. Heiker Meneses popped out to the second baseman and Derrik Gibson flied out to center to end the threat. 

In the fifth it was the combination of Wimberly and Ortiz again doing the damage and adding an insurance run for New Britain. The leadoff man singled, stole his second base of the game, and moved to third on a ground out before a sacrifice fly to right by Ortiz scored him and upped the lead to 4-0. 

The Sea Dogs sparked a rally in the seventh and final frame, thanks to the bottom half of their order. Spring doubled against the lefty to begin the inning and Meneses followed with a single up the middle to put two on with nobody out. 

Derrik Gibson followed with an RBI single to right field and Peter Hissey cut the deficit in half with an RBI double to left, which plated Meneses and made it 4-2. 
Manager Jeff Smith dipped into the bullpen for New Britain and lifted Rogers for the righty Matt Summers. 

Mookie Betts was the first batter to face the new pitcher and popped out to the first baseman for out number one. Summers struck out the second and final batter he faced in Marrero before Ryan O'Rourke K'd Stefan Welch for the final out of the game and earned the first save of his season. 

Both starters factored into the decision with Rogers (5-3) getting the win, with six-plus innings, in which he allowed two runs on seven hits; he gave up two walks and struck out five. Augliera (3-5) took the loss and went six innings, allowed four runs, on seven hits; he walked one and struck out two. 

The Sea Dogs and Rock Cats gets set to wrap up the three-game series with an early 11:00 AM game Thursday Morning from Hadlock Field. Portland is slated to send LHP Henry Owens (5-3, 2.83) to the mound against New Britain's RHP Tyler Duffey (1-0, 4.40). Radio coverage begins at 10:40 AM on the WPEI U.S. Cellular Sea Dogs Radio Network and www.seadogs.com. Coverage begins at 10:55 AM on MiLB.tv.