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)