Fife Just Fine as Sea Dogs Win, 7-3

Stephen Fife (PHOTO JASON GENDRON/Maine Sports Network)

A little home-cooking was all Stephen Fife and the Sea Dogs needed, as they downed the New Hampshire Fisher Cats 7-3 in the opener of a 4-game series. Fife went 6 strong innings, allowing 2 runs on 6 hits, with no walks. The righthander is now 5-2 on the season, with a 2.41 ERA.

The Sea Dogs have only managed 3 wins away from Hadlock Field this season, so beginning a 9-game homestand was a relief for the team. For Jeremy Hazelbaker, it was his first taste of Hadlock and the city. He looked right at home, singling to lead off the bottom of the first. The Sea Dogs would score the first run of the game in the 1st, as Tim Federowicz doubled with 2 outs to drive in Chih-Hsien Chiang.

The Sea Dogs would extend the lead in the 3rd inning. Hazelbaker and Alex Hassan would draw back-to-back walks to lead off the inning. Chiang then singled to drive in Hazelbaker and advance Hassan to third. Federowicz would then ground into a force out, scoring Hassan. Will Middlebrooks then broke the game open, blasting a Home Run to left center to make it 5-0 Dogs.

Portland piled on more 2 more runs in the 4th inning, turning the game into a rout. Mitch Dening singled with one out, then moved to second on a stolen base. Hazelbaker then lined a double to left, scoring Dening. Hassan then doubled to bring home Hazelbaker, making it 7-0 Sea Dogs. The top two hitters combined to go 4 for 7, with 3 runs, 2 RBIs, and 3 walks.

The Fisher Cats would finally get on the board in the 5th inning off Fife. Back-to-back doubles by Darin Mastroianni and Anthony Gose broke the shutout. Fife would get out of a jam, getting Mike McDade to ground out with 2 men on.

The Fisher Cats would add another run in the 6th, with some help from the Sea Dogs defense. With one out, Ricardo Nanita reached base on an error by Jon Hee. Criag Stansberry would make Hee pay two batters later, doubling to right-center to score Nanita. Fife would end the inning, and his outing by striking out Adeiny Hechavarria. It was Fife's sixth strikeout of the game.

The Fisher Cats would add a run in the top of the ninth, as McDade singled off Santo Luis to drive in Anthony Gose. Luis and Kyle Fernandes combined to pitch 3 solid innings to preserve the win for Fife.

Every Sea Dogs hitter recorded a hit, and the top 5 hitters each picked up an RBI. Hazelbaker, Hassan, and Dening each had a stolen base.

New Hampshire starter Zach Stewart was torched for 7 runs on 8 hits, with 4 walks and 4 strikeouts. In only 4 innings of work he threw 89 pitches, with 53 for strikes. The Portland bats went dead against the Fisher Cats relievers, as they only mustered 4 hits and 1 walk over the final 5 innings, albeit with a big lead in hand.

The two teams will be back at it tomorrow for game 2 of this 4-game series.

POST GAME AUDIO