Nate Spears score 100th run in Sea Dogs 9 - 2 win over NH.

NATE SPEARS ENTERED RARE FRANCHISE COMPANY, SCORING HIS 100TH RUN

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The Portland Sea Dogs wore uniforms of the 1926 Portland Eskimos today, but they played like they wanted to be members of the 2011 Boston Red Sox, beating the New Hampshire Fisher Cats 9 - 2 at Hadlock on Sunday.

Stephen Fife started the game for the Sea Dogs, while Clint Everts took the bump for the Cats.

Fife ran into trouble first, allowing the first four batters of the 2nd to reach on 2 walks and 2 singles. Fife got things set in the right direction by getting the Cats Jonathan Jaspe to ground into a double play, allowing the second run to score. Fife got the Cats Callix Crabbe to line to SS Nate Spears to end the inning. That was the last run Sea Dogs pitching would allow the rest of the way as Fife, Mitch Herold and Jason Rice combine for a 4 hit Sea Dogs victory.

The Sea Dogs offense got going in the 2nd as Anthony Rizzo walked to open the stanza. After a Luis Exposito strikeout, Jorge Padron singled to move Rizzo to second. Everts then walked two of the next 3 batters, Ryan Khoury and Che-Hsuan Lin, scoring Rizzo to close the gap to 2 -1 New Hampshire.

Walking was the way of the day for the Sea Dogs as New Hampshire pitchers allowed 11 free passes.

Nate Spears opened the 3rd with yet another walk. Ryan Lavarnway then hit a deep shot to right that Fisher Cats LF Ricardo Nanita played off the Maine Monster, moving Spears to 3rd. Anthony Rizzo plated Spears with a shot to right that Adam Loewen seem to lose in the sun. The Fisher Cats escaped the inning with allowing only the one run, score tied at 2 after 3.

Spears scoring gave him 100 on the season, making him only the 3rd Sea Dog in franchise history to score 100 runs in a season. Spears joins Ralph Milliard (104, 1995) and Mark Kotsay (103, 1997) to reach the 100 run mark.

The Sea Dogs took the lead for good in the 5th. Anthony Rizzo singled and promtly stole 2nd, putting him in scoring position. Ryan Khoury got the first of his two RBI on the day by doubling Rizzo in.

The Dogs got more in the 6th inning as Nate Spears scored his 101st run of the year on a 2 run shot into the US Cellular Pavilion. Che-Hsuan Lin scored ahead of Spears after an inning lead off walk. Spears HR made the game 5-2 after 6.

Walks again did New Hampshire in, allowing 3 in the 7th, leading to the Dogs scoreing 4 runs. Singles by Lavarnway and Khoury plated 3, while Nate Spears walked with the bases loaded to score Khoury. That closed out the scoring, as the Sea Dogs take it 9 - 2.

The Sea Dogs play their last game of the season tomorrow at Hadlock for a 1PM start. Team Awards are handed out prior to the game, so get there early!
JEFF SCHOOLS

HIGHLIGHTS COURTESY US CELLULAR SEA DOGS RADIO NETWORK