A Defensive Gem Ends the Game, Dogs Lose 9-8

Portland, ME) Portland SS Argenis Diaz was thrown out at the plate by CF Mike McBryde to end the game and give the Connecticut Defenders (25-19) a 9-8 victory over the Portland Sea Dogs (21-22) on Monday afternoon at Hadlock Field. The Sea Dogs had runners at first and third in the ninth inning but RHP Daniel Otero (0 ER in 16.1 IP) earned his 11th save when C Mark Wagners (3-for-5, RBI) potential game-tying sacrifice-fly to center field turned into a double-play on a terrific throw to the plate by McBryde.

RHP Dan Griffin (2-3) worked one scoreless inning of relief to earn the win for the Defenders, who took 3 of 4 from the Sea Dogs in the series. Portland starter RHP Adam Mills (1-2) suffered the loss, yielding 7 runs on 7 hits in 4.2 IP. Mills left the game in the fifth inning with Connecticut leading 7-6.

Connecticut's LHP Joe Patterson and Otero pitched 2.1 IP of scoreless relief on three hits to seal the victory for the Defenders.

Portland grabbed a 4-0 lead in the third inning on consecutive 2-run singles by SS Argenis Diaz (3-for-5) and 2B Ryan Khoury (2-for-3, RBI). RHP Daryl Maday lasted four innings in his 9th start of the season for Connecticut, allowing nine hits and six runs. The Defenders responded with a four-spot off Mills in the top of the fourth. DH Eddy Martinez-Esteve (2-for-4, RBI) drove in the first run with a bloop-single and 3B Sharlon Scoop nailed a 3-run double off the left-center field wall.

1B Lars Anderson (2-for-4, HR, 2 RBI) blasted his second homer of the week, nailing a 2-run shot in the fourth inning to give Portland a 6-4 lead. Connecticut retaliated in the top of the fifth on 1B Brett Pills 3-run homer over the Maine Monster.

Each team concluded their scoring with two runs apiece in the seventh inning. Pill and LF Bobby Felmy (2-for-4) had RBI's to give the Defenders a 9-6 advantage. Portland scored twice off LHP Ben Snyder (1.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 5 SO) on a run-scoring triple by Khoury and an RBI single by Wagner.

The Sea Dogs finished the homestand at 3-4 and travel to New Hampshire on Tuesday night to open up a 6-game roadtrip against the Fisher Cats beginning at 7:05 PM. RHP Jarod Plummer is slated to start the series opener against RHP Randy Boone. Catch all the action on the U.S. Cellular Sea Dogs Radio Network beginning at 6:35 PM with the CorrectDeck Pre-Game Show.

Notes: RHP T.J Large pitched a scoreless ninth and has not allowed an earned run in 16 of 19 appearances. Khoury reached base four times and tied a season-high with 3 RBI. C Jon Still had a season-high 3 hits, including a pair of doubles. Diaz had 3 hits, the most in a game since he had 4 on May 4 at Binghamton.