Sea Dogs Fall in Season Finale 8-3

It was a disappointing end to a disappointing season for the Sea Dogs, as the New Hampshire Fisher Cats mashed their way to an 8-3 win in the season finale for Portland. The Fisher Cats collected 12 hits, including 2 home runs as they head into the Eastern Playoffs as the Eastern Division champion. The Sea Dogs on the other hand finish with the worst record in franchise history, a forgettable 59-83.

The Fisher Cats opened the scoring early, as Moises Sierra's ground-rule double scored 2 runs before Caleb Clay even recorded an out. John Tolisano would hit his 14th home run of the season in the second inning to knock out Clay without recording an out in the inning, giving New Hampshire a quick 5-0 lead.

Yohan Pino pitched well for New Hampshire. A 2-run home run by Jeremy Hazelbaker in the third was the only blemish on the scorecard. Hazelbaker's 12th home run of the season was one of the farthest hit by a Sea Dog this season, going over the L.L. Bean boot behind the bullpen in right field.

The Fisher Cats offense struck again in the fourth inning, this time off of Will Latimer. With the bases loaded and two outs, Yan Gomes lined a singled up the middle to score 2 more runs and give New Hampshire some breathing room and a 7-2 lead.

Anthony Gose drilled a solo home run to rt-center in the eighth inning to make it 8-2. Gose took his time admiring the blast, but there was no retaliation by Michael Lee, who gave up 8 homers on the season.

Oscar Tejeda gave the fans at Hadlock one last thing to cheer about with the Sea Dogs' season down to its final out. Tejeda smacked his 5th home run of the year just over the wall in left-center as the crowd roared in appreciation.

Clay picked up his 5th loss of the year, lasting just 1 inning, giving up 5 runs on 5 hits.

Pino picked up his 4th win of the year, going 6 strong innings. He gave up 2 runs on 4 hits, striking out 7 with no walks.

New Hampshire had 4 players with multiple hit games, led by Gose, who went 3 for 5 with 2 RBIs, 3 runs, and a walk.

Blake Maxwell pitched well in relief for Portland. He allowed just 2 hits and no runs in 3 innings of work. He got Mark Sobolewski to ground out for the 2nd out of the seventh inning to give him 600 innings pitched in his professional career.

The Sea Dogs home opener for the 2012 season is April 12th, just 220 days away.

Wilson Dominant in Dogs' 5-2 Win

Alex Wilson (Photo MESN)

Alex Wilson put together his finest outing of the season, going 7 strong innings without a walk in The Sea Dogs 5-2 win over the New Hampshire Fisher Cats. Wilson picked up his 7th win of the season and showed why he was deserving of his All-Star game selection. Three runs in the second and two in the seventh were enough offense for the Sea Dogs and Wilson, who have won 5 of their last 6 games.

CLICK FOR POST GAME AUDIO

Wilson was dominant from the get-go, allowing only 1 hit through 4 innings while facing the minimum number of batters. When he did face adversity, like putting runners at the corners with one out in the fifth, he relied on his fastball to get batters out. Wilson's efficiency was aided by the fact he didn't walk a batter and didn't face a three-ball count until the last batter in the fifth.

Portland looked like it would score the game's first run in the bottom of the first, loading the bases on a single by Alex Hassan and two walks. However, Matt Spring couldn't resist swinging at the first pitch, and flew out to right to end the inning.

The Sea Dogs would get on the board an inning later, thanks to some solid hitting and some help from the New Hampshire defense. Oscar Tejeda led off the inning with single through the right side of the infield. Tejeda would make it to 2nd when Jon Hee bounced a pitch back to Fisher Cats starter Zach Stewart, who threw the ball into the dirt in front of 2nd, and Tejeda was safe. Mitch Dening then singled to left-center to drive home Tejeda. Jeremy Hazelbaker then singled to load the bases. Hassan ground into a double play, but Hee was able to score. Chih-Hsien crushed a double to score Dening, and it was quickly 3-0 Dogs.

The Sea Dogs made Stewart throw pitches in bunches early, racking up 65 in his first three innings of work. But after giving up a one-out double to Matt Spring in the third, he would get 11 straight outs to finish off his outing with 100 pitches.

The Fisher Cats would end Wilson's shut-out bid in the top of the seventh as Travis d'Arnaud blasted a solo home run over the monster in left field. It was one of the few mistakes Wilson made in seven innings of work. d'Arnaud was the only New Hampshire batter to really be successful against Wilson, getting 3 of the hits given up by Wilson.

The Sea Dogs would tack on two insurance runs in the seventh inning. Hassan walked on a 3-2 count with 2 outs. Chiang then lined a 3-2 pitch from reliever Matt Daly to left to put two men on with two outs. Will Middlebrooks doubled both men home with a drive deep to right to make it 5-1.

Kyle Fernandes came on in relief of Wilson, and after two quick outs ran into some trouble. He gave up a single to Callix Crabbe, who would score as the next batter, Justin Jackson lined a hit past the glove of a diving Dening for an RBI triple. Blake Maxwell came on and got the final out of the eighth by getting Mike McDade to fly out on the first pitch. Maxwell would pitch a 1-2-3 ninth for the save.

Wilson improved his record to 7-4, while lowering his ERA to 2.70, the lowest on the team for a starter. he allowed just 1 run on 5 hits, with 3 strikeouts and no walks.

Maxwell picked up his 7th save for the Sea Dogs, and his ERA sits at just 1.08.

The Sea Dogs offense was led by its 3 All-Star hitters: Hassan, Chiang, and Middlebrooks. They trio combined for 4 hits, with 2 runs, 2 RBIs, and 2 walks. Chiang's double was his team-leading 23rd of the season. Hassan picked up his 7th stolen base of the season in the first inning, which is 2nd on the team behind Hazelbaker.

The Sea Dogs finished the 8-game homestand at 5-3 by taking 3 of 4 from the Fisher Cats, who are in second place in the Eastern Division, 17 games ahead of the Sea Dogs.

The Sea Dogs now head out on the road for 8 games, 4 each in Binghamton and New Hampshire before the All-Star break.

POST GAME AUDIO
Manager Kevin Boles

Pitcher Alex Wilson

-WIL KRAMLICH-

Cats' Bats Erupt in 13-7 Win

Ryan Lavarnway (Photo Jason Gendron/MESN)

Not much seemed to go right for the Sea Dogs in the series finale against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats. Although the Dogs did manage to score 7 runs on 10 hits, they gave up 13 runs on 16 hits, struck out 13 times, and committed 5 errors.

The Sea Dogs actually got of to the better start in the game, scoring the game's first run on some misfortune by the Fisher Cats. Jeremy Hazelbaker would walk to lead off the bottom of the 1st, then promptly steal 2nd, then move to 3rd on a throwing error by the catcher. He would then score on a wild pitch with one out. It was all downhill from there for the Sea Dogs.

After setting down the Fisher Cats in order in the 1st, Miguel Gonzalez ran into trouble in the 2nd. He hit Mike McDade to lead off the inning, then gave up a hit, walked Travis d'Arnaud, then gave up an RBI single to catcher Yan Gomes to tie the game. Mark Sobolewski then hit a sacrifice fly to give the Fisher Cats the lead for good.

They would score 3 more runs in the 4th inning, knocking Gonzalez out of the game. He walked d'Arnaud to lead off the inning, then gave up a double to Gomes, putting men at 2nd and 3rd. After Sobolewski struck out, Crabbe would reach on an error by first baseman Jorge Padron, allowing 2 runs to score. Crabbe would move to 3rd on an error by right fielder Chih-Hsien Chiang. Crabbe would score on a sacrifice fly by Darin Mastroianni. Gonzalez would get caught in jam by giving up a double and a walk, bringing in Kyle Fernandes. The lefty reliever would then get McDade to strike out swinging to prevent any more damage.

The Sea Dogs would answer with 2 runs of their own in the bottom of the inning. Alex Hassan led off with a double, his 15th of the season. A single by Ryan Lavarnway and a walk by Tim Federowicz would load the bases. Will Middlebrooks then walked to bring home a run. Chiang then hit a sacrifice fly to right to score Lavarnway, cutting the deficit to 2 runs. However, Oscar Tejeda would strikeout, and Vladimir Frias flew out to get New Hampshire starter B.J. LaMura out of a jam.

The Fisher Cats broke the game open in the 5th inning. Fernandes gave up 3 straight hits to start off the inning, as d'Arnaud scored New Hampshire's 6th run. Gomes would score on Mastroianni's force out, then Adeiny Hechavarria unloaded on a pitch, jacking a 2-run homer to dead center.

The Sea Dogs would score 2 runs each in the 8th and 9th innings, as the game was out of reach. Lavarnway blasted a Monster shot in the 8th, and Hassan and Lavarnway hit RBI singles in the 9th to please the remaining crowd.

McDade's 6th homer of the year highlighted a 4-run 9th for the Fisher Cats, as they scored in 4 innings to Portland's 5 run-scoring innings.

LaMura evened his record at 3-3, going 5 innings, giving up 3 runs on 3 hits (2 runs earned), walking 3 and striking out 7.

Gonzalez picked up his 2nd loss in his only 2 outings for Portland this year. The righty lasted 3 2/3 innings, giving up 5 runs (3 earned) on only 4 hits, with 4 walks, 3 strikeouts, and 2 hit batsmen.

Every New Hampshire batter scored a run, and Anthony Gose was the only one not to record a hit. Every other Fisher Cat had multiple hits except Crabbe, and Gose did walk twice, too boot.

Lavarnway had a good night at the plate, going 2 for 5 with 2 runs and an RBI. Hassan, Federowicz, and Frias all had 2 hits as well.

The Sea Dogs begin a 4-day, 5-game series with the Trenton Thunder tomorrow night at Hadlock. Saturday features a doubleheader in the afternoon.
-WIL KRAMLICH-

Fisher Cats claw Sea Dogs 8-3

Michael Lee (Photo Jason Gendron/Maine Sports Network)

A day after roughing up a top pitching prospect, the Sea Dogs were the ones roughed up, as Rey Gonzalez fooled Portland hitters for 7 innings in an 8-3 Fisher Cat win. Travis d'Arnaud led a New Hampshire attack that roughed up Sea Dogs pitching for 16 hits. Gonzalez didn't allow a run until the 8th inning, when the Sea Dogs finally got to him.

The Fisher Cats got on the board early, scoring single runs in the first two innings. Darin Mastroianni led off the game with a single, then moved to 3rd on Adeiny Hechavarria's ground-rule double. Anthony Gose then drove home Mastroianni with a sacrifice fly to left, giving New Hampshire and early 1-0 lead. They would make it 2-0 in the 2nd on d'Arnaud's solo Home Run to right center.

The Sea Dogs didn't get a man on base until the 3rd inning, when they would strand 2 men on after singles by Jon Hee and Jeremy Hazelbaker.

The Fisher Cats broke open the game in the middle innings, starting with a Mike McDade RBI double in the 5th to make it 3-0. An RBI double by Craig Stansberry followed by a 2-run Home Run by Callix Crabbe in the 6th made it 6-0 New Hampshire. They would add two more runs in the 7th inning, as d'Arnaud's RBI double scored Moises Sierra, and Stansberry's sacrifice fly scored d'Arnaud.

The Sea Dogs finally managed to crack the scoreboard in the 8th inning, and in the process put a dent in a good outing by Gonzalez. Hazelbaker and Alex Hassan hit back-to-back singles to lead off the inning. Chih-Hsien Chiang then tripled to deep center to drive in 2 runs, ending the outing for the Fisher Cats starter. A one-out sacrifice fly off of reliever Ronald Uviedo from Will Middlebrooks would score Chiang.

Gonzalez' final line was 7+ innings pitched, giving up 3 runs on 8 hits, with 1 walk and 5 strikeouts. He improved his record to 6-1 on the season, and his ERA sits at a slim and trim 1.72. Uviedo and Evan Crawford each pitched a scoreless, hitless inning of relief.

Michael Lee falls to 1-4 after going 5 1/3 innings, giving up 5 runs on 9 hits, with no walks and 5 strikeouts. That's now back-to-back outings for Sea Dog starters not giving up a walk and getting at least 5 strikeouts.

Caleb Clay got roughed up in relief of Lee, giving up 3 runs on 5 hits, with 1 walk and 2 strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings. His ERA ballooned to 10.43 after the appearance.

Eammon Portice threw 2 innings of 2-hit ball in the 8th and 9th, as the outcome of the game had all but been decided.

Hazelbaker had another strong day at the plate, going 2 for 3, with a run and 2 walks. The young outfielder did prove to be an adventure in center, showing questionable positioning and approach on more than one occasion.

With the loss the Sea Dogs are now 13-28 on the season. They will look for their 14th win of the season, and their 11th at home tomorrow night as they play the 3rd game of a 4-game series against New Hampshire.

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

Maxwell pitches strong again, Sea Dogs beat Fisher Cats 5 - 2

OFFICIAL SEA DOGS GAME WRAP
For the past month and a half, Blake Maxwell has been one of the best pitchers on Portland's staff. On Saturday night, he continued to pitch well, allowing two runs on five hits in five and two-thirds innings, as the Sea Dogs picked up a 5-2 win at MerchantsAuto.com Stadium.

Both starting pitchers were tremendous, keeping the game scoreless through the first five innings of play. Kyle Drabek went those five innings for the Fisher Cats, allowing one hit and four walks, while striking out four.

Once New Hampshire went to the bullpen, the Sea Dogs' offense came to life. With David Purcey in the game, Chih-Hsien Chiang and Nate Spears started the sixth inning with consecutive singles. After a pair of

Lavarnway homers in Sea Dogs 5 - 1 win over New Hampshire

OFFICIAL SEA DOGS GAME WRAP
The New Hampshire Fisher Cats will have to wait at least one more day to clinch a spot in the 2010 Eastern League Playoffs. With the score tied at one in the sixth, Ryan Lavarnway blasted a three-run homer to center field. Mitch Herold pitched two and one-third scoreless innings in relief, as the Portland Sea Dogs picked up a 5-1 win at MerchantsAuto.com Stadium.

The first inning of the game might have been one of the weirdest this season, as the two teams combined for four walks, four strikeouts, and 56 pitches, without a single hit falling in. In the second inning, the Sea Dogs opened the scoring. With one out, Chih-Hsien Chiang walked and Juan Carlos Linares doubled, putting a pair of runners in scoring position. Nate Spears followed with a groundout to short, but the ball was hit deep enough to score Chiang.

JOSE IGLESIAS FOR SCOTT DOWNS..DON'T THINK SO! #redsox #bluejays #portlandseadogs #MLB #tradedeadline

PHOTO BY JEFF SCHOOLS CMSB MEDIA/MR SPARKY

I’ve seen this play before, and it has a nightmarish ending.

August 31, 1990. The Boston Red Sox were looking to solidify a not so great bullpen. The Blue Jays had top to bottom, one of the best staffs in baseball and trailed the Sox by 6 games.  Lou Gorman decided it was time to pull off the now infamous deal with the Houston Astros, Red Sox 3B prospect Jeff Bagwell for middle reliever Larry Andersen.

Ever wonder what the Red Sox did get out of Larry Andersen?  Well, how about 11 games, 1 save and the loss of the 6 game lead over Toronto, not all Andersen’s fault. While the Red Sox ultimately won the division, they were clean swept out of the ALCS by the Oakland A’s, and Andersen lost game 1, the sole purpose for Andersen’s existence on the Red Sox.

How did Jeff Bagwell do in Houston?  I think we all know how that went, minus the alleged steroid issues.

Let’s fast forward to 2010. The Boston Red Sox are 4 games out of a playoff spot looking to solidify a horrible middle relief situation. Downs is considered one of the best middle relievers in the game as we speak. He has a 4-5 record, allowed only 1 HR,  19 holds, a 1.05 WHIP and a 2.44 ERA in 46 games. Very good numbers for a middle relief guy no doubt. Better than what the Red Sox currently have (Delcarmen, Okajima..) , absolutely.

But is Scott Downs worth what will most assuredly be a steep asking price? Simple answer, NO…and here is why.

STATS – While I am not a Bill James-ian or a SABR Guru, I do know how to look at stats and draw conclusions out of what I see. When I look at Scott Downs performance this year, I see a troubling trend. Batters 1 – 4 in a lineup, any teams MEAT of the order, Downs is Plain Jane. He’s allowed 21 hits in 76 at bats for an opponent’s BA of .276. Downs feasts on the rest of the order allowing only 11 hits in 58 ABs with a batting average almost 100 points lower at .189.

CONTRACT – Just like Larry Andersen, Scott Downs is a free agent at the end of the season. Nuff said.

PRICE – Well here lies the rub!

Rumors and quotes from the Blue Jays organization have Scott Downs costing ANY team a pretty penny. For the Boston Red Sox, the cost will most likely be a Class A ballplayer combined with the likes of Jose Iglesias. Most reports have Toronto asking for Iglesias in any deal that would include Downs.
Folks trust me when I say, Jose Iglesias is as sure a thing as Jeff Bagwell was and ended up being 449 home runs later. Jose Iglasias will make you forget everyone in between Nomar Garciaparra and now. Hell, he might even make you forget Nomar too. Iglesias will not be the power threat any of the modern shortstop marvels are (Jeter, A-Rod, Nomar) but he just might provide you Ozzie Smith type D and hit .300 to boot.

Obviously 2010 has been a messed up year for Iglesias. He was injured on May 29th after being hit by a pitch on his right hand against New Britain. The injury has been described as a deep bone bruise, slight fracture and a sprain all in one. One thing for certain, Iglesias hasn’t seen the field, in a game, since that day.

What Iglesias has done since that day is be a great teammate, work on his English and work on his glove skills. Yep, you read it right, he has taken grounder after grounder and working solely on his glove skills, right out of the Dustin Pedroia taking grounders on his knees routine. I have personally seen him make glove passes to 2nd base during batting practice that would make Ozzie Smith blush..really…no exaggeration.

When healthy, Iglesias was a stellar defender, making spectacular play after spectacular play. Now he is 20 and was prone to the making the occasional play harder than it actually might be scenario, but none so egregious to make one think it will be a problem down the road. Every person that has seen Iglesias play knows this kid, given health and continued determination, will be a very special infielder for many years to come. What most scouts and people in the know had questions on Iglesias was his bat. Could the kid from Cuba come right into pro ball and adapt. Early projections have an emphatic yes. In all the many games I have watched Jose, he never look overmatched. He always had a good approach at the plate and always looked to work counts. All his batting approaches were right out of the Boston Red Sox school of batting. He stands at .306, 9 doubles, 3 triples and a .340 OBP. Now he does have 20 plus strike outs, but that sort of thing works its way out with more experience. BTW, the kid is only 20 and defected from Cuba to the US to play baseball. Just saying…

At the end of the day, I really want no part of Scott Downs, or any other middle relief help for any one of the Top 20 prospects in the Red Sox system. The cost is simply too high to pay for a wing and a prayer, Larry Andersen taught me that 20 years ago.

JEFF SCHOOLS

CASEY KELLY KS 7 IN 5 INNINGS FOR WIN DOGS BEAT CATS 5-1 #portlandseadogs #redsox

OFFICIAL PORTLAND SEA DOGS GAME WRAP

Wednesday night featured some pretty intense storms in the state of Maine, but the biggest storm might be the baseball team headed back to the Pine Tree State. After winning two straight games in New Britain, the Portland Sea Dogs went to Manchester and came away with a three-game sweep. In the series finale, the Sea Dogs received six strong innings from Casey Kelly, as well as a pair of RBI from Ryan Lavarnway, as the visitors picked up a 5-1 win.

For the fifth straight game, it was Portland who struck first. Luis Exposito led off the top of the second inning with a double. Anthony Rizzo followed with a walk, before Yamaico Navarro singled to load the bases. After driving in five runs on Tuesday, Ryan Lavarnway continued his hot hitting, putting the Sea Dogs ahead with an RBI single to left field. Jorge Padron then grounded into a double play, but Rizzo came in to score the second run.

In the third inning, the visitors added to their lead. This time, Anthony Rizzo led off the frame with a double. After an error by Luis Sanchez that allowed Yamaico Navarro to reach base, Ryan Lavarnway hit into a fielder's choice, knocking in his eleventh run in just six games in a Portland uniform.

The Fisher Cats got a run back in their half of the third, when Travis Snider smacked a solo home run to right-center field. For Snider, it was his second homer in as many nights. However, the Sea Dogs had an answer, getting that run back in the fourth. With one out, Che-Hsuan Lin tripled, then scored on a ground out by Nate Spears.

On the pitching side of things, Casey Kelly was tremendous for Portland. Boston's top pitching prospect tossed six innings, allowing one run, six hits, and one walk, while striking out eight. Jo-Jo Reyes also went six innings for New Hampshire, allowing four runs, six hits, and two walks, while striking out four. Both starters earned decisions, as Kelly (3-4) beat Reyes (1-1).

Jorge Padron's RBI single in the ninth gave the Sea Dogs an insurance run, as they completed their series sweep of the Fisher Cats with a 5-1 win. Blake Maxwell and Jason Rice finished the win with three scoreless innings out of the Portland bullpen.

On Thursday night, the Sea Dogs will return to Hadlock Field, as they begin a four-game series with the Harrisburg Senators at 7:00. The pitching match-up for the series opener will feature Portland's Alex Wilson (2-2, 5.89) and Harrisburg's John Lannan (1-2, 4.11).

LAVARNWAY PACES SEA DOGS WITH 5 RBI IN 13 - 6 WIN #portlandseadogs #redsox

LAVARNWAY HAD 5 RBI TUESDAY

OFFICIAL PORTLAND SEA DOGS GAME WRAP
For the second night in a row, the Portland Sea Dogs brought their bats to MerchantsAuto.com Stadium. After scoring eleven runs on Monday, the visiting Sea Dogs did themselves two better on Tuesday, pounding out 13 runs on 19 hits in a 13-6 victory over the New Hampshire Fisher Cats.

The Sea Dogs got the offense going early with a two-out rally in the first. Ray Chang walked, Luis Exposito reached on a two-base error, and Anthony Rizzo ripped a two-run double into the left-center field gap. The Fisher Cats got one run back in their half of the first, but Portland had an answer in the second. Jorge Padron led off with a single, and quickly scored on Chih-Hsien Chiang's RBI double down the right field line.

WEILAND CONTINUES ROLL IN SEA DOGS 11 - 2 WIN #portlandseadogs #redsox #fishercats #bluejays

OFFICIAL PORTLAND SEA DOGS GAME RECAP
It took a while to get things started on Monday night, but for the Portland Sea Dogs, the wait was well worth it. Portland scored eleven runs, including a seven-run outburst in the fifth. After the clock struck midnight, the Sea Dogs were able to celebrate their 11-2 win in the series opener.

Thanks to mother nature, the two teams had to wait through a rain delay, ultimately starting at 9:09. At that time, the Sea Dogs were more than ready to get started, as the first three batters all reached base. Two singles and a walk were followed by back-to-back strikeouts, but with two down, Ryan Lavarnway was hit by a pitch, bringing home Che-Hsuan Lin with the game's first run.

CASEY KELLY GETS STAR FOR SEA DOGS IN GM 2 #redsox #portlandseadogs #bluejays #fishercats

LUIS EXPOSITO DOUBLES IN 1ST SEA DOGS RUN OF NIGHT

OFFICIAL SEA DOGS GAME WRAP UP
Travis Snider had three doubles and Shawn Bowman blasted a two- run home run as the New Hampshire Fisher Cats topped the Sea Dogs 6-5 in front of 5,724 fans at Hadlock Field on Tuesday evening.

Snider, on a Major League rehab assignment from the Toronto Blue Jays, was 4-for-5 with three doubles, two runs scored, and a RBI. While Bowman added three hits of his own including a three run homer and 4 RBI.

New Hampshire jumped on Casey Kelly in the first scoring two runs on three doubles from Darin Mastroianni, Snider, and Bowman.

The Sea Dogs responded in the bottom half of the first scoring three runs of their own. Luis Exposito drove in his 60th RBI on a two out single to left field. The big hit came on a bases loaded double by Chih-Hsien Chiang scoring Exposito and Anthony Rizzo giving the Sea Dogs a 3-2 lead.

Bowman would give the Fisher Cats the lead back in the fifth inning when he crushed a three run homer off Kelly scoring Eric Thames and Snyder giving New Hampshire a 5-3 lead.

Kelly (1-4) went 5.1 innings in his outing, giving up five earned runs on seven hits. He struck out a career high eight batters and yielded three walks.

Eammon Portice relieved Kelly surrendering one run on an Adeiny Hechavarria sacrifice fly with the bases loaded making it 6-3Fisher Cats.

New Hampshire starter B.J. LaMura (2-3) went six innings, giving up three runs. LaMura retired 16 in a row after the Chiang double in the first.

Adrian Matin came in to the game after LaMura and found trouble in the bottom of the 7th. With the bases loaded, All-Star Nate Spears roped a two-run single to put the Sea Dogs within a run. The rally ended when Trystan Magnuson entered the game and got Yamaico Navarro to pop out. Magnuson earned his fourth save of the season.

The Sea Dogs and Fisher Cats play the third game of their four game series tomorrow night at 7:00 PM. Portland’s Alex Wilson (0-2, 8.68) faces off against the Fisher Cats’ Randy Boone (2-3, 3.45).

HIGHLIGHTS COURTESY US CELLULAR SEA DOGS RADIO NETWORK

SEA DOGS TAKE ON NH FISHER CATS #redsox #portlandseadogs #fishercats #bluejays

LEWISTON NATIVE RENE RANCOURT SINGS ANTHEM

OFFICIAL SEA DOGS GAME WRAP UP

Adam Loewen blasted a two run homer in the eighth inning to snap a 3-3 tie as the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (50-34) went on to defeat the Portland Sea Dogs 5-3 Monday night at Hadlock Field in front of the Sea Dogs fifth sell out of the season (7,368 fans).  The Sea Dogs (41-42) drop below the .500 mark for the first time since May 28^th.

Loewen and David Cooper both contributed with three hit performances and two RBI to lead the Fisher Cats to their third straight win.

The Fisher Cats drew first blood of the series, picking up a run in the second inning off Kyle Weiland.  Lowen singled with one out and advanced to third base on a double by Cooper.  Jonathan Jaspe picked up his 13th RBI with a ground out.

GAME DAY - SEA DOGS SALVAGE A WIN IN NH 4-3, EXPO GAME WINNING DOUBLE #FisherCats #bluejays

Steven Fife kept the Sea Dogs close, even thought allowing Adam Calerone's 4th HR in as many days, going 6 strong, scattering 7 hits and allowing 2 ER. Luis Exposito (@Expo2323 on Twitter) came up big offensively for the Dogs wiht 2 doubles, including the game winner in the 9th.

The Sea Dogs return home Tuesday to face the New Britain Rock Cats. The Sea Dogs announced that Red Sox Left Fielder Jacoby Ellsbury will rehab his rib injury at Hadlock Tuesday. Tickets going fast, visit Portland Sea Dogs.com or call (207) 879 - 9500 for tickets.

OFFICIAL PORTLAND SEA DOGS GAME WRAP
The Sea Dogs hadn't been swept in a four-game series to New Hampshire since 2007, and Luis Exposito made sure that held true. The Sea Dogs' catcher drove in three of the team's four runs, including an RBI double in the top of the ninth, as Portland picked up a 4-3 win over the New Hampshire Fisher Cats at Merchantsauto.com Stadium.

SEA DOGS VS CATS PROSPECT PITCHERS KELLY, DRABEK FACE OFF #redsox #fishercats #bluejays

Anyone in Manchester New Hampshire tonight were treated to a dream prospect match-up. The Portland Sea Dogs Casey Kelly and Fisher Cats Kyle Drabek hooked up and didn't disappoint. Unfortunately the Sea Dogs came up on the short end of the stick, losing to the Fisher Cats 5 - 0.

PORTLAND SEA DOGS OFFICIAL GAME WRAP

For the first three games of the series, Adam Calderone has left the Portland Sea Dogs with nightmares. After five RBI in the first two games, Calderone added three more on Saturday night, including a solo home run. Kyle Drabek made those runs stand up, pitching seven scoreless innings, as the New Hampshire Fisher Cats blanked Portland, 5-0, at Merchantsauto.com Stadium.

The story entering the game was the fantastic pitching match-up, featuring Portland's Casey Kelly and New Hampshire's Kyle Drabek. Both starters began with pairs of scoreless innings, before the Fisher Cats scored first in the bottom of the third. Jonathan Diaz and Brian Jeroloman started the rally, receiving back-to-back walks. After Darin Mastroianni's sacrifice bunt, Adam Calderone singled to center, driving in Diaz.

That run was the lone blemish on Kelly's line, as the Sea Dogs' starter allowed just two hits and three walks, while striking out six, in four and two-thirds innings. Kelly's final batter of the night was Mastroianni, who went down on strikes. Tommy Hottovy replaced Kelly on the hill, and was greeted rudely by New Hampshire's hottest hitter. Adam Calderone picked up his second RBI of the night, hitting a solo home run to right-center field.

Two innings later, the Fisher Cats extended their lead. Jonathan Diaz led off the frame with a walk, and advanced all the way to third base on Brian Jeroloman's single to right. Two batters later, Adam Calderone stepped to the plate, and continued his strong night at the plate, singling to right, scoring Diaz. Eric Thames loaded the bases with yet another single, ending Hottovy's outing. Bryce Cox took over for Hottovy, and immediately allowed a two-run double to Brad Emaus. However, that was the only hit allowed by Cox in the seventh, as New Hampshire took a 5-0 lead.

When the top of the eighth inning began, Trystan Magnuson took the mound, putting an end to Kyle Drabek's outing. Drabek was as good as advertised, tossing seven scoreless frames, allowing six hits, while striking out four.

Magnuson completed the shutout, keeping Portland off of the scoreboard in the eighth and ninth innings.

The Sea Dogs and Fisher Cats will play the final game of the four-game series on Sunday afternoon at 1:35. Stephen Fife (2-1, 3.26) will make the start for Portland, while New Hampshire counters with Randy Boone (1-2, 2.70).

POST GAME HIGHLIGHTS COURTESY CELLULAR ONE RADIO NETWORK

GAME DAY - SEA DOGS VS NEW HAMPSHIRE GM2 #FisherCats #bluejays

GAME DAY - SEA DOGS VS NEW HAMPSHIRE #FisherCats #bluejays

CHECK OUT OFFICIAL SEA DOGS NOTES. ALSO BELOW, SALEM RED SOX NOTES

The Portland Sea Dogs were outmatched early as the New Hampshire Fisher Cats launched 3 HRs in a 9 - 2 rout. The win puts the Cats 2 full games up on the Sea Dogs for 1st place in the division.

PORTLAND SEA DOGS OFFICIAL GAME WRAP
Power was the name of the game for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats on Thursday night. Adam Calderone (2) and Brad Emaus both went deep, as the Fisher Cats defeated the Portland Sea Dogs 9-2 at MerchantsAuto.com Stadium.

The Fisher Cats wasted little time in jumping on Sea Dogs' starter Ryne Miller. After Darin Mastroianni led off with a fly out, Adam Calderone put the home team ahead, launching a towering home run to right field. Two batters later, Brad Emaus added to the lead, hitting a two-run homer for a 3-0 New Hampshire advantage.

Miller settled down, keeping the Fisher Cats off of the scoreboard in the second and third innings, but in the fourth, more trouble was presented. New Hampshire's first four batters of the frame all reached base, with Brian Jeroloman and Darin Mastroianni each picking up RBI. However, the biggest hit of the inning came when Adam Calderone went deep for the second time in three at bats.