Sox alive another day

September 27 2011
Well it was off to Oriole Park at Camden Yards, the Red Sox vs the Baltimore Orioles. With the Red Sox tied with Tampa Bay for the wild card it was a must win game with 1 to go after this game. The starting pitcher for the Sox was former Orioles starter Erik Bedard. Pitching for Baltimore was lefty Zach Britton. The Orioles scored in the 1st on a Vladimir Guerrero double. Nick Markakis scored from 1st. In the 2nd with O's Adam Jones on 2nd, Ryan Lavarnway (who was starting behind the dish for injured Varitek and Saltimacchia) threw out Jones who attempted to steal third. The Sox got going in the 3rd after a Marco Scutaro double, Jacoby Ellsbury hit his 32nd homer of the season to give the Sox a 2-1 lead. In the top of the 4th Sox came back. After singles by David Ortiz and Adrian Gonzalez, Ryan Lavarnway hit his 1st major league homer to give the Sox a 5-1 lead. Bedard was going good until the 4th when O's catcher Matt Wieters hit a 2 run homer. (5-3 Sox) After a walk and then single Tito went to the mound a took the ball and gave it to Alfredo Aceves. Aceves then got Nolan Reimold to fly to left to end the inning. In the top of the 6th after a Carl Crawford triple Marco Scutaro homerd to give the Sox a 7-3 lead. In the bottom of the 6th Baltimore fought back with a Adam Jones homer cut the lead to 7-4. With the score still 7-4 Ryan Lavarnway hit his second career home run to give the Sox a 8-4 lead. Feel safe. I didn't. So to the 8th inning Daniel Bard enters the game. Bard struggled for much of September (along with much of the Red Sox) Matt Wieters lead off the inning with a single, he got 2 outs. Davis singled scoring Wieters (8-5 Sox), Reimold tripled scoring Davis (8-6 Sox). Finally Bard got out of the inning when he got Andino to fly out to end the inning. So on to the bottom of the 9th Jonathan Papelbon in to close it out. JJ Hardy lead off the inning with a single. Nick Markakis grounded to first runner advanced to second. Vladimir Guerrero singled to left scoring Hardy (8-7 Sox) With Matt Wieters batting he hit a tapper in front of the mound and home and first. He was then thrown out by Lavarnway. (pinch runner Angle advanced to second) With Adam Jones batting and the tying runner on second Adam Jones battled for 11 pitched, but Papelbon got him on a ground out to third. Gave over. So with Tampa beating NY down south the Sox remained tied with tampa for the AL wild card lead with one game to go.
Next Up: Opening day April 12 2012 Sea Dogs vs Binghamton Mets
UPDATE- Sox dropped the next night to blow a nine game lead in the wild card race. Sox season over.

"Turn out the lights, the parties over"

September 5, 2011
Well it all came down to this game... well not really the Sea Dogs have long been out of the race. But, it was the last game of the season. After a loss the previous day the Sea Dogs set a new team record for most losses in a season. But as always they want to end the season on a high note. That did not happen. The Sea Dogs lost 8-3. The starter for Portland was righty Caleb Clay. He lasted 1 plus inning giving up 5 hit on 5 runs. There were highlights for Sea Dogs though. Blake Maxwell pitched 3 scoreless innings in relief. Jeremey Hazelbaker and Oscar Tejeda each hit homeruns. Also making his double a debut was a third baseman named Matt Gedman. He is the son of former Red Sox catcher Rich Gedman. Well could go into long detail of this game, but i don't want to. THe good news is that it was announced that opening day is April 12 next year. Looking forward to that. Hopefully we'll see a playoff bound Sea Dogs team in 2012. We can only hope.
Next up: One more game!!! Boston at Baltimore, September 27 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore

Ugly, Ugly, Ugly

September 3, 2011
It was a cool beautiful Saturday night at Hadlock Field. The Sea Dogs took on the New Hampshire Fisher Cats. Portland coming off a win the previous night are trying to prevent a franchise record 82 losses this season. The Sea Dogs in their 1st season in 1994 had a record 60-81 record. So on to the game. Pitching for Portland was right hander Jeremy Kehrt. New Hampshire second baseman Kevin Howard launched a homer over the Maine Monster to give the 'Cats a 1-0 lead. Moises Sierra then singled. On a pick off throw from Kehrt Dogs first baseman Reynaldo Rodriguez lost it in the sun and Sierra reached second on the error. After a strike out, Mike McDade hit a grounder to Ryan Dent at shortstop but he then threw it past Rodriguez at first for the second error of the inning. Sierra scored on the play and the 'Cats took a 2-0 lead. The game stood 2-0 going into the 4th when John Tolisano hit a 2 run homer to give New Hampshire a 4-0 lead. After another homer givin' up Kehrt in the 5th that was the night for him. New Hampshire scored 2 more in the 6th. They added a 3 run homer in the 7th (Tolisano 2nd of the game). One more homer in the 9th to make the score 11-0. There was just about no offense for the Sea Dogs. They only managed 4 hits in the game. 2 were by 1b Reynaldo Rodriguez. So Portland tied a record that they were hoping would not be tied. Most losses in franchise history. Next loss will set a new record.
Next Up: Last Sea Dogs game of the year, Mon Sept 5

The wind blowin' to right

August 24, 2011
Well it back in Portland. The Sea Dogs took on the Harrisburg Senators. Harrisburg is the Eastern League affiliate of the Washington Nationals. Going into this game the hype was Nationals top prospect and top prospect overall in baseball Bryce Harper was suppose to play. Harper who was the number one pick in the 2011 draft advanced to "AA" after he tore through "A" ball. Unfortanitly it was not ment to be. He hurt is hamstring a week earlier and of corse the Nationals shut him down for the remainder of the season. But the game goes on. It was a beautiful sunny but breezy day at Hadlock. Pitching for the Sea Dogs Jeremy Kehrt. Kehrt going into the game was 2-0, 4.52 era, 19 apperances with just 3 starts. Pitching for the Senators was southpaw Oliver Perez. Perez has a full major league career with the Pirates and Mets. He ended up getting realised by the Mets was picked up by Washington and they sent him to "AA" to pitch his way back to the bigs. After a scoreless 1st Tyler Moore of the Senators hit a homer give the Senators a 1-0 lead. With the wind blowing a gale to right field Tim Puhuta clobberd a 2 run homer that almost cleared the US Cellular Pavillion sign in right field. Probley one of the longest homers I've ever seen hit at Hadlock Field. That shot made the score 3-0. Sea Dogs catcher Jeff Howell hit a homer of his own in the 4th to cut the lead 3-1. Kehrt after 5 2/3 innings was lifted for right Chris Martin. So really Kehrt pitched pretty good. His only mistake was the homer to Puhuta. In the top of the 7th with one out Chris Rahl of Harrisburg hit a solo homer to make it 4-1. But the Senators would pull away in the top of the 8th. 10 batters hit, 5 scored. The score now stood at 9-1. Not looking good for the Sea Dogs. However they would score 2 in the bottom half on a 2 run homer by Ryan Dent. That would be how the game stood the final score Senators 9, Sea Dogs 3. Player of the game for Portland was catcher Jeff Howell, he went 4-5. Including 2 doubles and a homer. Oliver Perez pitched only 4 2/3 innings giving up 5 hits on 1 run.
Next up: Possibly Sept 2 in Portland...(hopefully)

Game two

August 20, 2011
Well on to game two of the doubleheader. Now the second game was suppose to start at 4:30pm. But with the 1st game going to extra innings and lasting 3 hours and 42 minutes long this game did not start until about 5:30 pm. Several players in game two saw time with Portland in 2010 and this season. Players included Daniel Nava, Ryan Kalish, Lars Anderson, Che-Hsuan Lin, Jose Iglesias, Jason Rice, Tommy Hottovy and just brought up for his 2nd "AAA" game Will Middlebrooks. Starting for the Paw Sox was former Sea Dog Kyle Weiland. Pawtucket took and early lead in the 1st when Daniel Nava hit a solo homer into the Red Sox bullpen. But that would be the only run the Paw Sox would score that day. Weiland pitched 5 innings giving up 6 hits on 3 runs. Syracuse would go on to win the game 3-1. I however did not stay for the whole game. I was hoping to stay for about 5 innings in this one. I left after the 2nd inning. With a combination of a long 1st game and a 5 1/2 hour drive back. It was time to go home. So that would be the last trip I make to Fenway in 2011. But who knows..... World Series tickets. We'll see.
Next up: Back in Portland Aug 24th.

Futures at Fenway......mabey

August 20, 2011
Well it was off to Fenway Park, the home of the Boston Red Sox. Well at least not for today. The site was for the minor league "Futures at Fenway" doubleheader. The first game was the Binghamton Mets vs the Portland Sea Dogs. Game number 2 was the Syracuse Sky Chiefs vs the Pawtucket Red Sox. Pitching for the Sea Dogs was righty Charlie Haeger. Haeger formally of the Chicago White Sox just was picked up by the Red Sox. Like Tim Wakefield Haeger throws the knuckleball. He pitched well into the 7th inning he gave up 2 runs. With 2 outs in the 7th he was lifted for righty Josh Fields. Fields another new pick up for Boston came over in the Eric Bedard trade from Seattle. A tall pitcher (about 6-3 or so) pitched 2 1/3 innings is relief consistantly in the mid 90's. With the Sea Dogs trailing 2-0 in the 8th, Milton, Mass native Alex Hassan hit a 2 run homer into the centerfield camera well to tie the game. That was Hassan's 11th homer of the season. In the 10th the Sea Dogs brought in reliever Chris Martin. After pitching a scoreless 10th. Binghamton Mets third baseman singled. After two more singled which drove in a run. (3-2 Mets) Mets catcher hit a 3 run homer over the Monster Seats in left for a home run. Mets with the lead 6-2. The Sea Dogs did not go quietly in the bottom of the 11th. Pinch Hitter Ryan Dent singled, Jeremey Hazelbaker doubled. After Oscar Tejeda grounded out, Third baseman John Hee singled to drive in two but was thrown out 9-2-6. (Thrown out trying to advance to second on the hit) With two out Mitch Dening struck out to end the game. Mets 6 - Sea Dogs 4.
Next up.....game two

Hot weather, Hot bats

July 20 2011,
Well very warm day at Hadlock Field. Today the Sea Dogs played the Binghamton Mets. Of corse the AA affiliate of the New York Mets. Pitching for the Sea Dogs was righty Brock Huntzinger. Huntzinger in 16 starts so far this season has a 5-7 record with a 6.69 era. Portland got on the board first when Jeremy Hazelbaker reached on a walk then advanced to second by a hit from Ryan Khoury. Hazelbaker scored on a error by the pitcher. Dogs scored again in the second when Hazelbaker drove in Heiker Meneses who doubled with 2 out. Mets came back in the top of the 3rd when Alan Dykstra (no relation to Lenny Dykstra) homered to tie the game 3-3. Top of the 4th Mets left fielder B Maldonado (program did not say what full name was) homerd to give the Mets a 4-3 lead. Sea Dogs bounced back in the bottom half when Sea Dogs All Star outfielder Chih-Hsien Chiang drove in a run with a single. In the 5th Mets center fielder M Dan Dekker hit a homer then in the 6th Raul Reyes doubled later scored on a ground out. So lets see after 5 1/2 innings the score stood at Mets 6 Sea Dogs 4. In the Sea Dogs bottom of the 6th Mitch Dening singled, Meneses walked. Hazelbaker who had walked, singled and reached on a error struck out. The Ryan Khoury singled to drive in Dening. After Chiang struck out, Will Middlebrooks launched a 3 run homer over the Maine Monster to give the Sea Dogs a 8-6 lead. Portland got another run in the 7th on a rbi single from Hazelbaker. In the 8th Sea Dogs brought in reliever Blake Maxwell. Maxwell had spent some time in aaa Pawtucket was recently sent back to Portland. In Portland he has been the closer converting 9/11 save opportunities with a nifty 1.52 era. The 8th inning for Maxwell was not so nifty though. On this hot day the Mets bats were hot scoring 2 runs to tie the game. The game stayed tied until the bottom of the 9th when Mitch Dening launched a walk off homer to end the game. The long day had come to an end.
Next up: July 30 Portland vs Altoona, also Picnic in the Park day for the Sea Dogs

Rough Night

June 27 2011,
Well not much to say about this one. On the mound for Portland was righty Junichi Tazawa. Tazawa played for the Sea Dogs in 2009 and pitched down the stretch that season for Boston when he was shut down with arm problems. It was revealed that he needed Tommy John surgery. This game was his 1st double A outing since the surgery. But however this was not a good outing for Tazawa. In the 1st inning he walked the leadoff hitter. Brian Dozier the Rock Cats shortstop lined a triple to right center scoring Herrmann. Then Chris Parmelee walked. Evan Bigley struck out. Y Solarte flied to center. So it looked like Tazawa might get out of it. But then a hit my pitch, left fielder Mike Hollimon doubled scoring a run. Then a single scored Hollimon. So after 8 batters that was it for Tazawa. Things did not get better for the Sea Dogs. Miguel Gonzalez replaced Tazawa on the mound then gave up 10 hits on 5 runs in 2 1/3 innings pitched. After two innings the Sea Dogs fell behind 11-0. Portland would go on to lose the game 15-5! But on the bright side the Sea Dogs hit 3 home runs. (Chih-Hsien Chiang, TIm Federowicz, and Ryan Khoury. Final score New Britian 15, Portland 5
Next Up: Possibly June 29 vs.....that's right New Britian.

Paw Sox vs Iron Pigs

June 18 2011,
Well its off to historic McCoy Stadium. The site of the longest game in pro baseball history. Luckley it did not take 33 innings to complete this one. The opponent for the Paw Sox was the Leigh Valley Iron Pigs. That's right the Iron Pigs. They are the triple A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. This game was a treat starting for the Paw Sox was veteran right hander Kevin Millwood. Millwood of corse pitched many good years with the Atlanta Braves and pitched a no hitter while with the Phillies in 2003. However Millwood in the last few years has been hampered with injuries. So the Red Sox this season took and chance and signed him to a minor league deal to give the big club some insurance if the need it. After the Iron Pigs went 1,2,3 in the 1st Daniel Nava grounded out to drive in a run to give the Paw Sox a 1-0 lead. In the 2nd Iron Pig and former Sox outfielder Brandon Moss hit a solo homer to left to tie the game. That would be all they get off Millwood in the game. In the 4th inning Hecter Luna lead off the inning with a single. Just called up from Portland Ryan Lavarnway walked. After a fly out from Luis Exposito Bermudez doubled to drive in a run, next Jose Iglesias doubled to drive in 2. After a ground out with 2 out Nate Spears launched a 2 run homer. After the inning had come to and end the Paw Sox lead 6-1. Kevin Millwood in this one was a cruise control. In 7 2/3 ip he allowed only 3 hits on 1 run with 6 strike outs. With the Paw Sox leading 8-1 in the ninth Hideiki Okajima came in the pitched the 9th to give the Paw Sox a 8-1 victory.
Next up: June 21 back to Portland

Sloppy 1st inning

June 10, 2011
Well back at Portland for only the 3rd time this season. Damn gas prices and early season weather! Tonight the Sea Dogs were playing the Bowie Bay Sox. Bowie is Baltimore's double a afiliate. The pitching matchup for the game is this. For Bowie was righty Chorye Spoone. He has a 0-3 record with an era of 5.12 in 4 games this season so far. For the Sea Dogs was Chris Balcom-Miller. Miller in 2 games this season is 1-1 with a 2.45 era. One of those game a complete game. So on to the game. With the leadoff man retired for Bowie, secondbaseman Buck Britton doubled. Then catcher Caleb Joseph singled to drive in Britton. 1-0 Bowie. Then a double by dh Robbie Widlansky to drive in Joseph. Next batter Brandon Waring reached on a error by Dogs thirdbaseman Will Vazquez. Next up LJ Hoes doubled to center to knock in 2. 4-0 Bowie. Finally the next batter grounded out to third so 2 out in the inning. Buuuut then shortstop Pedro Florimon double to drive in another run, then a single by Billy Rowell to bring in Florimon. Then finally the 3rd out of the inning came by leadoff man Xavier Avery. So let recap, 10 batter hit in the top of the 1st. 6 score. After half an inning 6-0 Bowie. Dogs got going in the bottom of the inning though. Leadoff man Jeremy Hazelbaker hit a leadoff triple to right center. Next up second baseman Jonathan Hee singled up the middle to drive him in. 6-1 Bowie. That was all however the Dogs scored in the 1st. After retiring the 1st two batter in the top of the second Widlansky reached on a error by Jonathan Hee, then Brandon Waring walked. Dogs manager Kevin Boles made a pitching change. Out was Balcom-Miller and in came Kyle Fernandes. With Hoes batting Waring got a lead too far off first and Dogs catcher picked him off to end the inning. With Fernandes in things settled down. He pitched 3 1/3 innings giving up just an un earned run on 4 hits. Sea Dogs continued to be sloppy in the field making 3 more errors behind him. Two by second baseman Oscar Tejeda. Bowie starter Choryne Spoone pitched a solid game for his 1st win of the season. He pitched 6 2/3 ip 7h 3r 2er 1bb 5k. However it was not ment to be for the Sea Dogs. The Bay Sox would come to a 7-3 win. So lets see, other than the top of the 1st it was a really good game. But not ment to be for Portland. Oh well.
Next up: June 18, headed down south to Pawtucket.

Sox vs Sox

June 1 2011,
It was a hot muggy day at Fenway Park in Boston MA. For the first time ever I will have seen the Chicago White Sox play the Red Sox at Fenway Park. (By the way the only team I have not seen the Sox play at Fenway is now the Minnesota Twins) On the bump for the Red Sox was 44 year old TIm Wakefield. Wake in his 16th season with the Red Sox. Wow! Pitching for the White Sox is righty Gavin Floyd. Things got off well for Wakefield and the Red Sox. Wake retired the 1st 9 of 10 batters he faced. Allowing only a single to Paul Konerko. In the bottom of the 2nd David Ortiz singled, Carl Crawford singled, then Jed Lowrie doubled to drive in Ortiz. After a Josh Reddick strike out Jarrod Saltalamacchia singled to drive in Crawford and Lowrie. 3-0 Red Sox. Things are looking good so far. In the top of the 4th White Sox Alexei Ramirez singled then advanced on a wild pitch. With one out Paul Konerko was hit by a pitch. Next up big Adam Dunn struck out. Lillibridge next up doubled off the wall to drive in the first White Sox run. In the top of the 5th after a leadoff walk and then a single by Gordon Beckham, Jaun Pierre hit a ground ball to second. Dustin Pedroia got the ball tagged Beckham then threw the ball to first for the double play. Or so we thought. After seen the relpay on TV it showed that the umpire missed the call and the Beckham the runner was called safe. After a rbi ground out by Alexi Ramirez then a double by Carlos Quentin the White Sox were right back in it with game tied 3-3. The next inning (Wake still in for the Red Sox) after a fly out by Dunn, Brent Lillebridge lined a homer into the monster seats to give the White Sox the lead 4-3. Omar Vizquel then doubled. After fly outs by Castro and Backham Wakefield's day was done.
( 6 ip 7 h 4 r 1 bb 4 k) Bottom of the 6th we go David Ortiz leading off. Big Papi lined a homer into the monster seats the Red Sox tied it up. In the seventh Matt Albers in to pitch for the Red Sox. After a ground out. Alexi Ramirez singled, then Quentin and Konerko singled to give the White Sox the lead 5-4. Sox brought in Rich Hill to face Adam Dunn. After a walk Rich Hill grabbed his arm and left game game with a injury. He was replaced by Daniel Bard who got the side in order for the next inning and two thirds. Top of the ninth we go. Jonathan Papelbon in Red Sox trailing only by one run. Ramirez singled, Quentin popped to Gonzalez at first. Then with Paul Konerko up Papelbon threw a fastball and Konerko launched it over the monster seats to give the White Sox a 7-4 lead. Bottom of the ninth the Red Sox went 1-2-3. Ball Game. Final score White SOx 7 Red Sox 4.
Next Up: June 10 back in Portland. (hopefully.....weather permitting)

Sox slip by Yanks

May 13 2011,
Well here we are Yankee Stadium. Red Sox began a 3 game series to start on a Friday night. With the Sox wearing there Friday night blue jerseys on the mound was right hander Clay Buchholz. Buchholz who has had a up and down year was in need of a real good outing. Starting for the Yankees was right hander and former Red Sox Bartolo Colon. Colon who was picked up by the Yankees in the off season has been impressive start by winning 3 games so far with an era under 4.00 so far. So on to the game. It was a pitching duel early on, the Sox would not get their first hit until the 3rd inning when Jacoby Ellsbury lined a single. He was stranded when Dustin Pedroia hit into a fielder's choice. Meanwhile Buchholz was dealing for the Sox. He did not give up a hit until the 4th inning with 1 out. Alex Rodriguez singled. In the bottom of the 4th the Sox took the lead when Adrian Gonzalez hit home run to give the Sox a 1-0 lead. Next batter Kevin Youkilis on a strike 3 pass ball he reaches base. After 2 more walks to load the bases Carl Crawford walked to bring home Youkilis. 2-0 Sox. In the top of the 5th after a single by Jorge Posada singled Russell Martin hit a 2 run homer to left. Score tied 2-2 after 5 innings. After 6 innings Bartolo Colon was done for the night and in the 7th Yankees brought in reliever Joba Chamberlain. After a sac fly by Gonzalez, Kevin Youkilis hit a two run homer to right to give the Sox a 5-2 lead. In the 8th inning Sox brought in Daniel Bard. (Line on Buchholz 7 ip 5 h 2 r 2 er 1 bb 7 k) Curtis Granderson tripled, walk to Rodriguez, the Robinson Cano was hit by a pitch. With bases loaded Bard un corked a wild pitch to bring in Granderson to make the score 5-3. So to the 9th. With Jonathan Papelbon in leadoff hitter Russell Martin strikes out, Brent Gardner flied to left. One out to go.... Derek Jeter lined a base it, then reached second on the defensive indifference. Next up Curtis Granderson got a base it to drive in Jeter. 5-4 Sox. So with the tying run on Mark Texieria popped up to end the game! A happy ending to a close game.
Next up: Back in Portland May 18th vs Reading.