Sea Dogs Open Road Trip with Win in Trenton

(Trenton, NJ)- For the last few days, offense was the name of the game, as the Portland Sea Dogs and Binghamton Mets combined to score 42 runs in a three-game series. On Thursday night, the Sea Dogs traveled to Trenton, and pitching quickly became the story. The two teams battled to a 1-1 tie through seven innings, until back-to-back home runs by Lars Anderson and Ray Chang put Portland ahead. Robert Coello and Bryce Cox kept the visitors ahead, as the Sea Dogs opened their road trip with a 3-2 win.

Eammon Portice made his first start of the season for Portland, allowing one run and three hits, while striking out three. The lone blemish on Portice's card came in the bottom of the fifth inning, when Kevin Smith doubled home Damon Sublett with the game's opening run.

On the other side of the diamond, the Thunder turned to Lance Pendleton, who suffered the loss at Hadlock Field on Sunday. Pendleton matched Portice pitch-for-pitch, throwing 4 2/3 scoreless innings, before being replaced by Eric Wordekemper. The Trenton starter struck out four, while allowing two hits and three walks.

With the game in the hands of the bullpens, the Sea Dogs took advantage, tying the score at one in the top of the seventh. Ray Chang led off the frame with a walk, moved to second on a single by Jose Iglesias, and eventually to third on a single by Chih-Hsien Chiang. Two batters later, Ryan Kalish flew out to center field, bringing Chang across home plate. Portland's run came off of reliever Wilkin De La Rosa.

One inning later, Portland turned the deficit into a lead. With two outs in the eighth, Lars Anderson broke the deadlock with a solo homer to center off of reliever Noel Castillo. Ray Chang was the next batter up, and he duplicated Anderson's feat, taking Castillo deep to left field. Anderson's four home runs and eleven RBI both lead the team.

Robert Coello relieved Portice in the bottom of the sixth inning for the Sea Dogs, and was nothing short of spectacular. Coello dealt three no-hit innings, allowing one walk, while striking out five of the ten batters he faced. After losing his first appearance of the season, Coello has won two of his last three, improving his record to 2-1 on the season. Noel Castillo took the loss for Trenton, falling to 0-1. Bryce Cox recorded his first save of 2010, allowing a solo home run to Brandon Laird in the ninth.

Portland and Trenton play game two of this four-game series on Friday night at 7:05. Casey Kelly (0-0, 0.00) will make his third start of the season for the Sea Dogs, going up against DJ Mitchell (1-1, 4.15). Both starters pitched in the series last weekend at Hadlock Field, with Kelly tossing two scoreless innings, and Mitchell tossing five scoreless innings.