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Drennen, Aeros Down Sea Dogs 13-5

Middlebrooks 3-for-5 with HR, 3 RBI for Portland
August 11, 2011
Portland, Maine-Akron Aeros left-fielder John Drennen homered and drove-in five runs as the Aeros defeated the Portland Sea Dogs 13-5 Thursday afternoon before a crowd of 6,584 at Hadlock Field. Akron wins the series taking two of the three games while the two teams split the season series with three wins apiece.

Akron made the most of their nine hits scoring 13 runs. Drennen led the Aeros offensive attack with a 2-for-4 performance with a double, home run and five RBI.

Will Middlebrooks was the offensive stand-out for the Sea Dogs who only managed five runs despite 13 hits. Middlebrooks was 3-for-5 with a home run and three RBI for the Sea Dogs. Middlebrooks now has 73 RBI on the season, ranking third in the Eastern League.

After falling behind 1-0 in the first, the Sea Dogs took a 3-1 lead in the third. Middlebrooks hit a RBI single scoring Khoury to tie the game at one. The run scored by Khoury was his 165th in a Sea Dog uniform surpassing Kevin Millar for the franchise record. Ronald Bermudez, 4-for-5, also collected a RBI single and Oscar Tejeda chipped-in with a RBI double.

The lead was short lived as the Indians affiliate responded with four runs in the fourth including a two run double by Drennen and a two run single by Kyle Bellows off Portland starter Chris Balcom-Miller to take a 5-3 lead.

Portland would get a run back in the bottom half of the inning when Middlebrooks collected his second RBI single of the game scoring Khoury for the 166th time in his Sea Dog career.

Balcom-Miller (2-6) lasted five innings yielding five runs on four hits. He struck out eight and walked two.

Eammon Portice relieved Balcom-Miller and was hurt by four walks and an error as he allowed seven runs (three earned) on two hits in 1.2 innings. The big blow was a three run homer by Drennen; his fifth of the season and second in as many days, in the sixth inning to give Akron an 8-4 lead.

Akron would continue to pour it on with a five run seventh, highlighted by a Donnie Webb three run homer, his second of the year.

Middlebrooks smashed his 16th home run of the season, a solo shot in the ninth off Bruce Stowell.

T.J. McFarland (9-6) earned the win tossing 5.1 innings surrendering four runs (one earned) on 11 hits.

The Sea Dogs will continue the homestand on Friday night at 7:00 PM as the Erie Sea Wolves (Tigers) come to town for a three game series. The Sea Dogs have not yet announced a starter. Erie will send righty L.J. Gagnier (3-5, 5.35) to the mound. Tickets are available and can be ordered by calling the Sea Dogs Ticket Office at 207-879-9500 or order online at www.seadogs.com. Friday night is "Green Night" at the ballpark. Fans who ride their bike to the game are eligible for a buy one get one free ticket offer. The first 1,000 fans will also receive a reusable shopping bag, courtesy of Hannaford Supermarkets.