A forgettable first inning got the Sea Dogs in an early hole and a key error in the eighth killed what was an exciting rally as the New Britain Rock Cats beat the Sea Dogs 5-4 in the first game after the All-Star break. Miguel Gonzalez allowed 2 runs on zero hits in the first, and Junichi Tazawa received some shaky defense as he was tiring in the eighth, as those were the tell-tale innings in the loss.
Gonzalez promptly started off the game by hitting Brian Dozier with a pitch. He would then walk the next batter, Chris Herrmann. Joe Benson then grounded into a force out, getting Herrmann out at 2nd, but putting men at the corners. The 2 runners would score 2 batters later as Yangervis Solarte ground out and Sea Dogs shortstop Heiker Meneses threw the ball away to first. Gonzalez got Evan Bigley to strike out to end the madness.
After getting a 1-2-3 inning in the second inning, Gonzalez ran into trouble again in the third. Dozier led off with a walk on a full count, and would steal second with Herrmann up. He would score two batters later as Meneses threw it away again. Chris Parmalee would also score when Solarte doubled down the first-base line.
Tazawa came on in relief of Gonzalez to start the fifth, and looked the best he has since Tommy John Surgery in 2009. He got out 10 of the first 11 batters he faced before hitting a wall in the eighth. He struck out 4 with no walks, making mutiple batters look foolish with a plus curveball. His velocity made it into the low 90's as well, showing Sea Dogs fans and Red Sox brass alike that he is making strides in a big way. However, after getting 1 out in the eighth the wheels came off. He gave up back to back singles to put runners at the corners. He then got Nate Hanson to hit a ground ball to 3B Ryan Khoury, but Khoury threw it over the head of 2B Oscar Tejeda, allowing Solarte to score the winning run. Caleb Clay came on in relief, and after walking the bases loaded to start, got a strikeout and groundout to end the inning.
The Sea Dogs got their offense from a pair of 2-run home runs in the fifth and sixth innings. With two outs in the fifth Meneses reached on an infield single. Jeremy Hazelbaker then drilled his 6th homer for the Sea Dogs off a fourth tier sign in right center.
The next inning Alex Hassan led off with a single. After Chih-Hsien Chiang struck out, Will Middlebrooks hit a game-tying round-tripper into the pavilion seats in right field. It was Middlebrooks' 10th homer of the year at Double-A.
But besides the 2 dingers the Portland offense couldn't finish off any rallies. They had runners stranded in each of the last 3 innings, including 2 men on in the bottom of the ninth.
Steve Hirschfeld pitched well to start the game for New Britain. In 6 innings of work, he gave up 4 runs on 5 hits, with 4 strikeouts and 1 walk. Discounting the 2 homers, he only gave up a single to Khoury in the first.
Andrew Albers picked up the win in relief, his first of the year. He had 2 hits and 2 strikeouts in 2 innings in his first appearance of the year with New Britain.
Tyler Robertson picked up his 10th save of the year, pitching the final inning for the Rock Cats.
Tazawa took the loss for the Sea Dogs. in 3 1/3 innings, he gave up the 1 run on 3 hits. His ERA sits at a even 10.00.
The two teams are back at it tomorrow night for game 2 of the 4-game series. Brock Huntzinger will be on the mound for the Sea Dogs, looking for his 6th win of the year. Brett Jacobson will start for New Britain, looking to improve on his 3-4 record.
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