DOGS VS HARRISBURG GM 1 #portlandseadogs #sblog #redsox

CLICK PHOTO FOR GALLERY COURTESY MR SPARKY

JOSE IGLESIAS SPORTING A NEW HAIR STYLE

ANTHONY RIZZO SAVES SEA DOGS FROM A NO HITTER
Anthony Rizzo has struggled from the plate of late, but stopped the Portland Sea Dogs from becoming Harrisburg's second no hit victim in 18 days.

Rizzo came the plate with 1 out in the 9th with the Senators Zech Zinicola on the mound. Rizzo lined a pitch down the right field line for a double to break Harrisburg's spell on Sea Dogs bats. The Dogs still lost 3 - 0, but had 5 solid innings from starter Jeremy Kehrt.

Kehrt allowed 5 hits over 5 innings allowing only a single run. The Dogs meet the Senators Tuesday night right back at Hadlock Field.

JEFF SCHOOLS

OFFICIAL PORTLAND SEA DOGS GAME WRAP

It was a near historical night at Hadlock Field on Monday night, as Aaron Thompson and three relievers combined to throw 8.1 no-hit innings for the Harrisburg Senators against the Portland Sea Dogs en route to a 3-0 victory.  The no-hit bid was spoiled by Anthony Rizzo in the bottom of the ninth, when he laced a double down the right-field line to produce the only Sea Dogs’ hit of the night.

Thompson (4-9) set the tone for Harrisburg in the win, spinning the first six no-hit frames despite surrendering six walks to go along with six strikeouts.  The lefty danced around a bases loaded jam in the third inning, however he was able to get Luis Exposito to ground out to second, effectively ending the threat, and Portland’s best offensive opportunity of the night.

Harrisburg would manufacture a run in the top of the fifth off Kehrt, without the aid of a hit to take a 1-0 lead.  Brad Coon led the frame off with a walk and went to second after Danny Espinosa induced a catcher’s interference call on Luis Exposito.  After a groundout put both runners in scoring position with one out, Chris Marrero’s groundout to short would bring home Coon with the first run of the game.

Kehrt’s night would come to an end after the fifth, having allowed just the one unearned run, on five hits and two walks, while striking out 5.  Despite the solid start, Kehrt (1-4) would pick up the loss and fall to 1-4 on the season thanks to Harrisburg’s masterful pitching performance.

Ryne Miller would come in relief of Kehrt in the sixth, but Harrisburg would still find ways to manufacture runs.  After Miller struck out the first two batters he faced, a two out walk would prove costly when Jhonatan Solano smacked a double of the right field wall to make it a 2-0 Harrisburg advantage.

Harrisburg would again implement small ball against Miller in the seventh to take a 3-0 lead.  Coon lead off with an infield single and steal second, before advancing to third on Espinosa’s sacrifice bunt.  It would be de ja vu for Portland, as Marrero would ground out to short with one out and two runners in scoring position to plate Coon just as he did in the fifth.

The three runs would be more than enough by the time Thompson gave way to the bullpen.  Jack Spradlin went 1.1 innings for Harrisburg and struck out all four batters he faced before giving way to Adam Carr would polish off the final two outs of the eighth inning.

However, in the ninth it would be Rizzo who would play spoiler on any potential Harrisburg no-hitter when he doubled off Zech Zinicola with one-out in the ninth.  Despite blowing the no-hitter, Zinicola would pick up his eighth save of the season.

Portland pitching was strong in the loss, as Mitch Herold worked two scoreless innings in the eighth in ninth.  Overall, Portland pitching helped keep the game within reach despite the no-hit bid, holding Harrisburg batters hitless (0-11) with runners in scoring position.

The Portland Sea Dogs (38-37) and Harrisburg Senators (37-40) will be back at it again Tuesday night.  The start time from Hadlock Field will be 7:00 PM, Stephen Fife (4-1, 3.84) will take the ball for Portland opposite of Harrisburg’s Tom Milone (5-3, 3.14).

NOTES: Tonight’s Paid Attendance was 4,011…Still, the last nine-inning no hitter thrown against the Portland Sea Dog’s was the Binghamton Mets’ Bob Keppel on August 2, 2003 in Binghamton.…Chuck James (5.0 IP), Cole Kimball (1.0 IP), and Zech Zinicola (1.0) combined to toss a seven-inning no-hitter for Harrisburg on June 10^th this season at Altoona.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS COURTESY US CELLULAR SEA DOGS RADIO NETWORK