5 Run 4th Inning Propels Sea Dogs to Thrashing of Thunder

Alex Wilson 6 strong innings to go 2-0 (Photo Jason Gendron)

Somtimes things just seem to click for a team. Something certainly clicked for the Sea Dogs tonight, getting a hit from every batter and allowing only two from Trenton in a 7-0 win over the Thunder. Alex Wilson had a second straight solid outing, and Alex Hassan continued his hot start for the Sea Dogs.

It was scoreless for the first 3 1/2 innings of the game, as Wilson confused the Trenton hitters, and the Sea Dogs offense couldn't find third base. Then came the bottom of the fourth, and someone turned the light switch to ON for the Portland offense. Chih-Hsien Chiang led off with a single to center. Will Middlebrooks did the same. Oscar Tejeda doubled to right to bring home Chiang and give Portland the lead. Jon Hee then doubled to left to plate Middlebrooks and Tejeda. After Mitch Dening struck out, Hassan doubled to left to bring home Hee and knock out Trenton starter Steve Garrison. Tim Federowicz would ground out, moving Hassan to third. Jorge Padron would then single on a line drive to left, scoring Hassan and completing the scoring in the innning.

Wilson threw 52 strikes on 75 pitches, and faced only four batters over the minimum. He struck out 5 with only one walk and improved to 2-0 on the young season.

The Sea Dogs added to their lead in the sixth inning. Hee lead off with a full count walk. Dening then lined a ball down the right field line for a double, moving Hee to third. Hassan singled to left to bring home Hee and move dening to third. Federowicz grounded out to second, but drove home Dening in the process to. Trenton pitcher Cory Arbiso then got both Padron and Ryan Lavarnway to ground out to stop the bleeding.

Jeremy Kehrt came on in relief for Wilson and shut down any hope of a Trenton comeback. The right-hander struck out 2 with one walk and no hits over 3 innings for his first save of the year.

Hassan went 3 for 5 in the game, with one runa nd 2 RBIs. He is batting an even .500 through the season's first six games, with at least one hit in every game.

Jon Hee went 2 for 3 with 2 RBIs, 2 runs, and a walk.

Brad Suttle was the only Thunder batter to figure out the Sea Dogs pitching, going 2 for 2 and getting hit by a pitch before being replaced by Yadil Mujica in the seventh inning.

The two teams face off in the rubber game of the series tomorrow at 6pm, weather permitting. After that the Sea Dogs will go on the road for the first time this season, where they will face New Britain and Binghamton.

New England Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski throws 1st pitch (Photo Jason Gendron)