Sea Dogs Win Back-to-Back Games with 5-4 Walk-Off

Portland, Maine- Tzu-Wei Lin scored the winning run on an RBI fielder's choice by Sam Travis and the Sea Dogs walked-off with a 5-4 win over the Trenton Thunder (51-44) on Monday night at Hadlock Field.

With the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Travis hit a hard ground ball to short and Ali Castillo threw to third base to try and catch Reed Gragnani. But third baseman Cito Culver suffered a misstep around the base and Gragnani slid in safely, which the Thunder disputed to no avail. Travis extended his hitting streak to six games and went 2-for-5 with a double and two RBI. The walk-off win was the fifth for the Sea Dogs this year, and their second straight at home (July 2nd vs. New Hampshire).
Trenton was down to their final strike twice in the ninth inning before they tied the game at four. With two outs in the inning, Cito Culver worked a walk on a 3-2 pitch. Then Danny Oh was able to bloop a double down the left field line to tie the game at four.

The Sea Dogs put up four in the bottom of the first inning on an RBI double by Travis, a two-run double by Tim Roberson, and an RBI single by Henry Ramos to make it 4-0.

William Cuevas looked sharp early in the evening and didn't allow a base hit until the fourth inning. Trenton would start to get to Cuevas beginning in the sixth, when Mark Payton hit a sac fly to cut the 'Dogs lead to 4-1.

In the Thunder seventh, Taylor Dugas led off with a single and Dan Fiorito followed up with a double. Francisco Arcia hit an RBI groundout, then Cito Culver hit an RBI double to bring Trenton within a run at 4-3. Cuevas went 6.1 innings and allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits walking three and striking out four.

Simon Mercedes (W, 2-2) entered the game for Cuevas in the seventh and pitched the final 2.2 innings, allowed one earned run on one hit while walking two and striking out two.

The series continues tomorrow evening, first pitch is scheduled for 7:00 PM. Justin Haley (3-11, 5.62) makes the start for Portland against TBA for Trenton. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by phone at 207-879-9500 or online atseadogs.com.