UMaine Baseball to Play Game at Hadlock

The Portland Sea Dogs announced today that the University of Maine Baseball team will play a game at Hadlock Field this coming season. The Black Bears will take on Boston College on Tuesday, May 15th at 6:00 PM. A rain date has been set for Wednesday, May 16th.

While the Black Bears routinely play a game in southern Maine, this will be their first time at Hadlock in over a decade. UMaine last played at Hadlock in 1998, when they faced off against UMass.

UMaine Baseball Coach Steve Trimper was on hand for the announcement, as was fifth-year senior Justin Leisenheimer. Leisenheimer, a part-time outfielder joked about how he's had to face some big outfield walls, but nothing compared to the 37-foot Maine Monster in Hadlock's left field.

For two Black Bears, it will be a return to their high school playing days. Freshmen Sam Balzano of Deering and Scott Heath of Westbrook both played games at Hadlock during their high school careers.

Last year the Black Bears won the America East Championship and defeated #20 Florida International in the Chapel Hill Regional. Trimper and the Black Bears will look to repeat this season, with 7 returning starters.


SEA DOGS GM GEOFF IACUESSA AND UMAINE HC STEVE TRIMPER MAKE ANNOUNCEMENT




UMAINE BASEBALL COACH STEVE TRIMPER

Bobby V, Salty, Furbush Speak at Hot Stove Dinner

As the calendar turns from 2011 to 2012, so does the baseball calendar. The 2011 edition of the Red Sox was not what you would call a success, but the promise of a better 2012 season is on the horizon. The Portland Sea Dogs held their annual Hot Stove Dinner to talk about the upcoming Red Sox and Sea Dogs seasons.

As usual, there were some big names on hand. New Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine was the main draw, but also on hand were Red Sox Catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Seattle Mariners pitcher Charlie Furbush. Furbush, for all of you who live under a rock, grew up in South Portland and started his college career at St. Joe's before moving on to LSU and the major leagues.

One theme among all 3 guests is that 2011 is in the rear-view mirror, and 2012 should be one hell of a ride.


Bobby Valentine




Jarrod Saltalamacchia




Charlie Furbush

Sea Dogs: Eastern League launches Charity Auction

The Eastern League is pleased to announce the league has launched an online charity auction. All proceeds from the auction will be donated to the relief efforts from the devastating flooding that took place in Binghamton, New York and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania earlier this fall. To view the items being auctioned off or to place a bid visit http://easternleague.milbauctions.com.

The list of items that will be available when the auction starts on Tuesday afternoon are:

• Game worn Akron Aeros Cory Burns jersey
• Autograph Pack featuring LaMarr Woodley of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Matt Cooke and Pascal Dupuis of the Pittsburgh Penguins
• Derek Lee autographed baseball
• Jacob Turner autographed baseball
• Tyler Moore game worn autographed hat
• Paul Molitor autographed baseball
• 2011 Eastern League All-Star Game team autographed baseball set (Eastern Division baseball and Western Division baseball)
• Autographed Jose Iglesias Portland Sea Dogs jersey
• 2011 Reading Phillies Opening Day team autographed baseball
• Richmond Flying Squirrels Prize Pack (various giveaway items, a t-shirt and hat)
• Set of 2011 Trenton Thunder Bobblehead Dolls (Cano, Hughes, Pettitte home, Pettitte road, Jeter, Banuelos/Bettances, Pettitte statue)

New items will continue to be added to the auction through its completion in December so be sure to visit the site often to see what is available. Some of the items that will be added along the way include:

• Derek Jeter authenticated autographed baseball
• Portland Sea Dogs honorary bat kid for a game
• Carlos Santana autographed bat
• Andrew McCutchen autographed bat

This is just a small sample of the items that will be added over the coming weeks so make sure to visit the site regularly and put a bid in for some these great collectibles while also helping out two Eastern League communities.

--COURTESY SEA DOGS COMMUNICATIONS--

Portland Sea Dogs Owner Dan Burke dies at the age of 82.

John Howard Sanden Portrait of Dan Burke

So what kind of person could make a person like me, stand in line, overnight, in the dead of winter (February 25/26 to be exact) for freaking baseball tickets. Dan Burke could and Dan Burke did.

Me and hundreds of other rabid baseball fans braved below zero wind chills that February night to line up in front of an incomplete Hadlock Field. It was quite a scene. I was bundled head to toe thinking about baseball. I was 12th in line, will never forget that number! The prize that day was a temporary trailer standing where the handicapped parking lot entrance is now. In front, a series of rope lines to weave the baseball crazies like myself toward the goal of Opening Day tickets. We didn't know the players were going to be, not really. We knew the Florida Marlins were going to be the parent club, but we didn't fully understand who the players were yet.

You have to understand where we were as baseball fans. The Maine Guides we our appetite for what minor league baseball in Maine could be like. Dan Burke was able to get people who had previously fought baseball in Portland to come together for the cause. get people EXCITED to create Hadlock Field. Get people excited for baseball in Maine. Dan Burke got that accomplished.

I remember vividly standing in line Opening Day. I was 2nd in line, see what kind of freak I am! My brother, furthest thing from a baseball fan, understood what was happening, and was excited to be there. Steve Buckley, now of the Boston Herald, was with NESN or NECN or some other entity, interviewed me about why it was important to me to be there. I explained being a Sox fan, being crushed the Guides left and how pumped and jacked I was to be here when baseball was reborn in Portland.

There are so many memories. I will never forget the day I brought my daughter to her 1st Sea Dogs game. I think I was more excited than she was, that was until Slugger came calling. Then it was on. How many games have I sat and watched with my little girl, watching pro baseball a mile from where I was born and where she was born.

What a spectacular 17 plus years. Thank you, Dan Burke. Thanks to you and the vision you had all those years ago. This baseball fan owes you a debt that can never be repaid. Rest in Peace.

Sea Dogs Fall in Season Finale 8-3

It was a disappointing end to a disappointing season for the Sea Dogs, as the New Hampshire Fisher Cats mashed their way to an 8-3 win in the season finale for Portland. The Fisher Cats collected 12 hits, including 2 home runs as they head into the Eastern Playoffs as the Eastern Division champion. The Sea Dogs on the other hand finish with the worst record in franchise history, a forgettable 59-83.

The Fisher Cats opened the scoring early, as Moises Sierra's ground-rule double scored 2 runs before Caleb Clay even recorded an out. John Tolisano would hit his 14th home run of the season in the second inning to knock out Clay without recording an out in the inning, giving New Hampshire a quick 5-0 lead.

Yohan Pino pitched well for New Hampshire. A 2-run home run by Jeremy Hazelbaker in the third was the only blemish on the scorecard. Hazelbaker's 12th home run of the season was one of the farthest hit by a Sea Dog this season, going over the L.L. Bean boot behind the bullpen in right field.

The Fisher Cats offense struck again in the fourth inning, this time off of Will Latimer. With the bases loaded and two outs, Yan Gomes lined a singled up the middle to score 2 more runs and give New Hampshire some breathing room and a 7-2 lead.

Anthony Gose drilled a solo home run to rt-center in the eighth inning to make it 8-2. Gose took his time admiring the blast, but there was no retaliation by Michael Lee, who gave up 8 homers on the season.

Oscar Tejeda gave the fans at Hadlock one last thing to cheer about with the Sea Dogs' season down to its final out. Tejeda smacked his 5th home run of the year just over the wall in left-center as the crowd roared in appreciation.

Clay picked up his 5th loss of the year, lasting just 1 inning, giving up 5 runs on 5 hits.

Pino picked up his 4th win of the year, going 6 strong innings. He gave up 2 runs on 4 hits, striking out 7 with no walks.

New Hampshire had 4 players with multiple hit games, led by Gose, who went 3 for 5 with 2 RBIs, 3 runs, and a walk.

Blake Maxwell pitched well in relief for Portland. He allowed just 2 hits and no runs in 3 innings of work. He got Mark Sobolewski to ground out for the 2nd out of the seventh inning to give him 600 innings pitched in his professional career.

The Sea Dogs home opener for the 2012 season is April 12th, just 220 days away.

Sea Dogs Out-FOXed by Senators 4-1

For the second night in a row the Sea Dogs starting pitcher had a solid outing. For the second night in a row that pitcher earned little run support in a losing effort. For the second night in a row the Harrisburg Senators beat the Sea Dogs 4-1. Adam Fox drove in all 4 runs and Daniel Rosenbaum dominated for 7 innings for Harrisburg.

Matt Rusch's second start of the season for Portland was much better than his first. After giving up 6 runs in 5 1/3 innings in his debut after being acquired from the independent leagues, the righty adjusted to the Double-A game. Three straight hits from the Senators in the second inning was the only real blemish for Rusch, but that was enough to give Harrisburg a lead they would never surrender. Archie Gilbert and Fox sandwiched singles around Tim Pahuta's double, with Fox's single driving in the first 2 runners.

The Sea Dogs would get one of those runs back in the bottom of the second. Reynaldo Rodriguez doubled on a dropping liner past LF Gilbert to lead off the inning. He would move to 2nd when Mark Wagner flied out to right. He would then score on a wild pitch with Dan Butler to give Portland its only run of the game in a most unconventional of ways.

Rosenbaum was both efficient and filthy in his 7 innings of work. He didn't allow multiple base runners until the seventh, when Alex Hassan and Rodriguez had back to back singles to lead off the inning. Rosenbaum would get out of the jam as expected, getting a fly out and a line out before setting Mitch Dening down swinging for his 8th and final strikeout.

Fox would strike again off Michael Lee in the top of the seventh inning. He smacked a 2-run home run just over the leaping arm of Jeremy Hazelbaker in center field. It was only his 4th home run of the season, and his 4 RBIs increased his season total to 19.


Rosenbaum improved to 3-0 in 4 starts in Double-A. His ERA dropped slightly to 1.37, as he has shown no signs of growing pains yet.

Hassan Pena pitched a scoreless ninth for his 8th save of the year. He allowed a lead-off single to Oscar Tejeda and had a strikeout.

Rusch pitched 6 solid innings, giving up 2 runs on 4 hits. He struck out 3 and walked 1, but a pitch count of 103 after 6 innings did him in.

The two teams face off in the series finale tomorrow at noon. Jeremy Kehrt takes the mound for the Sea Dogs and will face former major leaguer Oliver Perez for Harrisburg.

Pahuta Powers Senators Past Portland 4-1

Harrisburg starter Tanner Rourk had a no-hitter going against the Sea Dogs into the sixth inning before Ryan Khoury and Jeremy Hazelbaker hit back to back doubles to end the bid and give Portland the lead. The Senators tied the game up in the eighth inning off Sea Dogs reliever Blake Maxwell, then took the lead for good on a 3-run home run by Tim Pahuta later in the inning as Harrisburg won 4-1.

Roark made it through the Portland lineup twice without allowing a hit, and a walk to Alex Hassan and a hit by pitch to Jon Hee were his only blemishes. Then Khoury stepped to the plate with two outs and laced the Sea Dogs first hit over the 3rd baseman's head for a double. Jeremy Hazelbaker then hit a fly ball towards the left-field foul pole that dropped fair then bounced into the stands for an RBI ground rule double. Roark went from no-hitter to losing pitcher of record in two batters.

The reason Harrisburg couldn't score for most of the game was the outstanding pitching of Chris Balcolm-Miller. The righty scattered 7 hits over a season-high 7 innings, and didn't allow a walk until his second to last batter. Just to keep the theme going, Balcolm-Miller struck out 7 batters, all of them on a swinging third strike.

Balcolm-Miller's quality outing was wasted quickly in the top of the eighth, when Blake Maxwell continued his late-season fall. The first batter he faced, Josh Johnson, chopped a ball right towards him, and he threw it well past 1st baseman Jon Hee and into the stands, bringing Johnson to 2nd. Derek Norris then dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move Johnson to 3rd. Tyler Moore then singled up the middle to tie the game 1-1. After Maxwell walked a batter and struck out a batter, Pahuta smashed his 10th home run of the season into the pavilion seats in right field to give Harrisburg a 4-1 lead. Maxwell then gave up another single before getting Chris McConnell to ironically ground out to the pitcher to end the inning.

Corey VanAllen and Rafael Martin each took a turn making Sea Dog batters look foolish in the eighth and ninth innings to close out the game. Martin struck out the side in the ninth for his 12th save of the year.

VanAllen picked up the win, his 4th of the year. he finished off the seventh inning for Roark by getting Mitch Dening to strike out looking.

Maxwell picked up his 5th blown save of the year, and his record fell to 3-4.

Eammon Portice pitched an efficient ninth inning, getting 3 quick outs on 5 pitches, 4 for strikes.

Game 2 of the 3-game series is tomorrow at 6pm. Matt Rusch will be making his 2nd appearance of the season for Portland, and will be looking for his first win.

Wednesday's series finale will be at noon, with former major league pitcher Oliver Perez starting for Harrisburg.