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| RYAN KALISH (PHOTO JEFF SCHOOLS/CMSB MEDIA) |
Ryan Kalish comes through yet again for the Portland Sea Dogs with a 2 out double in the 9th to beat the New Britain Rock Cats 4 - 2 Friday Night.
PORTLAND SEA DOGS GAME WRAP UP
The Portland Sea Dogs were down to their final two strikes, as the New Britain Rock Cats could smell the taste of victory. Thanks to Ryan Kalish, that smell was as close as New Britain would get. With two outs and the bases loaded in the ninth, Kalish launched a three-run double, turning a 2-1 deficit into a 4-2 lead for Portland. The Sea Dogs ultimately hung on to win by that score, winning their fourth straight game at New Britain Stadium.
On this night, it was the Rock Cats who started the scoring in the bottom of the first. Ben Revere led off the game with an infield single, and promptly swiped second base with his eighth steal of the season. After back-to-back strikeouts, Juan Portes reached base with a walk, setting the table for Daniel Rams. The New Britain catcher drove an 0-1 offering over Jason Place's head, easily scoring Revere. Portes also tried to score, but didn't make it, thanks to a perfect relay throw from Nate Spears.
The lead didn't last long, as the Sea Dogs scored their first run in the top of the second. Yamaico Navarro started the threat with a one-out walk, and made his way around on back-to-back singles by Juan Apodaca and Chih-Hsien Chiang. Chiang's hit to left field produced the run, giving him ten RBI on the year.
Both starting pitchers got into grooves from there, as Felix Doubront and Tyler Robertson were both on top of their games. Doubront went five and two-third innings for Portland, allowing two runs, six hits, and two walks, while striking out a season-high of nine batters. Robertson was slightly better for New Britain, going six and one-third innings, allowing one run, seven hits, three walks, and three hit batsmen, while striking out five.
The difference between the two starters came in the bottom of the fifth. Steve Singleton led off with a single, and moved to second on Chih-Hsien Chiang's fielding error in left field. The error ended up being meaningless, as Toby Gardenhire walked, two batters later. However, the Rock Cats did take the lead, when Ben Revere launched a run-scoring double off of the right field wall.
New Britain maintained that lead until the ninth. Jason Place started the Sea Dogs' rally with a walk, moved to second on a single by Will Vazquez, and eventually to third, when Nate Spears accepted a free pass. Ray Chang popped up to first base for the second out of the frame, leaving the game in the hands of Ryan Kalish. The Portland center fielder didn't disappoint, clearing the bases with a long double to the right-center field gap. That hit gave the visitors a 4-2 lead.
The Sea Dogs were able to make their comeback, thanks to the spectacular relief effort of Eammon Portice. Portice pitched two and one-third hitless innings, leaving the game after the
eighth. That performance gave Portice (3-1) the win. Santos Arias pitched well in the seventh and eighth for New Britain, but ran into trouble in the ninth, allowing the three runs that gave Portland the win. The loss drops Arias' record to 0-5. Bryce Cox loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth, but pitched out of it, picking up his fourth save of the season.
The Sea Dogs and Rock Cats will play game two of their three-game series on Saturday night, with an identical starting time of 6:35. Ryne Miller (1-1, 4.30) will make the start for Portland, while New Britain goes with Deolis Guerra (1-1, 3.91).
POST GAME HIGHLIGHTS
MIKE ANTONELLIS LEXY CAST
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