Sea Dogs win streak reaches five with 8-5 win

Portland, Maine - The Portland Sea Dogs (9-4) extended their win streak to five games with an 8-5 win over the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (7-8) on Sunday afternoon. Portland has now won nine of their last ten games.

Wikelman Gonzalez earned his first win of the season while Ryan Zeferjahn tallied his second save. Phillip Sikes went three-for-four and Nick Yorke went two-for-five leading the Portland offensive attack.

With the bases-loaded, Alex Binelas put Portland on the board in the bottom of the second with a two-run single to center field. Sikes singles to left field to bring home another run before Roman Anthony grounded into a double play to allow Binelas to score and extend a 4-0 lead.

New Hampshire countered with a pair of runs in the third inning. Phil Clarke reached with a walk before scoring on an RBI groundout from Glenn Santiago. Alan Roden hit a sacrifice fly to left field to bring home Devonte Brown.

In the bottom of the inning, Matthew Lugo lifted his third double of the season to center field to score Yorke and extend the 5-2 lead.

Portland scored two runs on three doubles to extend a five-run lead in the fourth inning. Sikes doubled (2) to score Mickey Gasper before Marcelo Mayer doubled (4) to score Sikes.

In the top of the seventh, Santiago reached on an error to allow Phil Clarke to score from second before Josh Kasevich hit a two-run single to right field to put New Hampshire within two.

Sikes added one more run for the Sea Dogs in the bottom of the seventh with a single to center field. Binelas scored from second after reaching on a walk and Portland held on to take the finale 8-5.

RHP Wikelman Gonzalez (1-0, 11.12 ERA) earned the win after pitching 3.0 scoreless innings in relief allowing one hit, walking one and striking out four. Ryan Zeferjahn (2) earned the save after pitching 2.0 scoreless innings allowing one hit while walking one and striking out five. The loss was issued to RHP Trent Palmer (1-1, 7.56 ERA) after pitching 2.0 innings allowing four runs on two hits while walking three.

Portland heads to Hartford, Connecticut for a six-game series starting on Tuesday, April 23^rd. The first pitch for game one is slated for 7:10pm. RHP Isaac Coffey (0-1, 4.66 ERA) will get the ball for Portland while Hartford will start LHP Mason Albright (0-1, 15.43 ERA). The Sea Dogs return to Hadlock Field on April 30^th for a double homestand featuring six games against the Reading Fightin Phils and six games versus the Binghamton Rumble Ponies.