SeaWolves Win Back-to-Back Games in Portland

The SeaWolves struck early and led wire-to-wire as they took down the Portland Sea Dogs, 9-5, on Wednesday night at Hadlock Field. The ‘Wolves have taken the first two games of the series and have won seven of their last eight games.

The SeaWolves took a first inning lead against Portland starter Victor Santos. Daniel Cabrera led off with a base hit on the first pitch of the game. Andrew Navigato doubled off the Maine Monster in left setting up Erie with runners on second and third. Parker Meadows drove home Cabrera on a sacrifice fly to left and Quincy Nieporte singled home Navigato for a 2-0 lead.

Portland cut the lead in half in the last of the first against Erie starter Chance Kirby. David Hamilton led off, worked a full count and drew a walk. Hamilton stole second and scored from second on a one-out groundout off the bat of Ceddanne Rafaela making it 2-1.

Erie added to the lead in the fifth. Navigato singled with one out and Meadows walked. Santos would give way to Dylan Spacke. Spacke gave up an RBI single to Nieporte making it a 3-1 game. Erie then loaded the bases for Dillon Dingler as Wenceel Perez walked for the second time in the game. Dingler drew a bases-loaded walk scoring Meadows. Dane Myers followed with an RBI groundout for a 5-1 lead. Erie re-loaded the bases on a Michael De La Cruz hit by pitch and Gage Workman capped a four-run inning on base hit, scoring Perez for a five-run advantage.

The Dogs got one back in the bottom of the fifth when Izzy Wilson homered with one out off of Kirby making it a 6-2 game. Kirby would bounce back, finishing his outing with a pair of strikeouts.

The SeaWolves went back ahead by five runs in the top of the sixth. Navigato led off with a single and he moved to second a Meadows walk. Navigato advanced to third on a Nieporte fly out to right. With Perez batting, Meadows stole second and on an errant throw, Navigato scored for a 7-2 lead.

Portland closed the gap in the last of the seventh. Joe Navilhon worked a 1-2-3 sixth and came back out for a second inning. He walked Stephen Scott leading off the inning and Alex Binelas homered to right-center, cutting the ‘Wolves lead down to three runs.

Erie went back up by four in the top of the eighth when Nieporte crushed a solo home run 422’ to center. The home run was his 22nd on the season and he finished the night with three RBIs.

The ‘Wolves added a final run in the top of the ninth off of reliever Zach Bryant. De La Cruz walked with one out and was tripled home by Workman for a 9-4 lead. The triple was his sixth and third hit of the game.

The Dogs scored one in the bottom of the ninth off of Bubba Derby before he closed the door, giving Erie the victory.

Kirby (8-3) earned his team-leading eighth win and has won back-to-back starts. He allowed two runs on two hits with two walks and eight strikeouts.

Santos (7-8) took the loss for the Sea Dogs allowing four runs on five hits with three walks and seven strikeouts in 4.1 innings.