12 replies to this topic

[Cuzittt]

Today's Game:

IL: Portland (http://www.sonsofsam...ok/external.png) center right no-repeat; padding-right: 13px; border-bottom: 1px dotted #3366BB; color: #3366BB; cursor:pointer; text-decoration:none;" class="wiki">Andrew Dobies) vs. Akron (Sean Smith) [6:05pm]

Game 3 Preview

Over the last 13 years, the Portland Sea Dogs have provided memories at Hadlock Field.
There have been wins, individual achievements and, with the help of a cutesy mascot, lots of entertainment.
Tonight, the Sea Dogs go for history.
Portland is one win away from an Eastern League championship, something that has eluded this franchise since its big splash into town in 1994.
The Sea Dogs lead the Akron Aeros 2-0 in the Eastern League championship series. It is a best-of-five affair, so Portland will have three chances to win one game this weekend at Hadlock.
Game 4 is scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday, should Akron win tonight, and Game 5 would be 1 p.m. Sunday.
The Sea Dogs are confident.
"It's a good feeling for all of us to walk out of here with two wins," relief pitcher Barry Hertzler said Wednesday after Portland's 13-8 win at Akron in Game 2.
It is also a new feeling for the Sea Dogs. In four previous appearances in the championship series, the Sea Dogs have never won two games, let alone the first two games.
Left-hander Andrew Dobies gets the start tonight, his second in the postseason and his eighth for the Sea Dogs. Dobies, 23, was Boston's third-round draft pick in 2004 out of the University of Virginia. He was promoted to Portland in August after going 8-6 for Class A Wilmington with a 3.98 ERA.
Dobies added a cut fastball just two months ago at the urging of the Red Sox.
"They sent me some tapes on (White Sox starter) Mark Buehrle," Dobies said. "It took me a while to get used to it and figure out the grip. I finally got it, and it's been working wonders ever since."

-Brandon

[Section15Box113]

Underway in Portland. 2 K's for Dobies in the first.

After half an inning, Akron nothing, Sea Dogs comin' up.

Edited by Section15Box113, 15 September 2006 - 05:19 PM.

[Section15Box113]

Dogs take a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the inning on a Moss solo shot to center.

His solid postseason continues....

[Section15Box113]

Akron gets it right back.

* Brad Snyder singles to right.
* Pat Osborn flies out to right.
* Jared Sandberg grounds out 1-3, Snyder to 2nd.
* Ivan Ochoa singles to left. Snyder scores. Ochoa out 7-2-4 trying to take second.

Portland goes quietly.

After 2 innings, all tied at one.

[Section15Box113]

Tough top of the third for Dobies:

A double, a walk and two singles lead to two Akron runs. 3-1 Akron.

Now through 3 1/2. Portland coming up in the botton of the 4th, still looking for their second hit.

[Deweys New Stance]

Akron leading 4-1 after a solo hr to lead off the top of the fourth.

[Deweys New Stance]

Ellsbury and Moss with rbi singles in the bottom of the 5th to make it a 4-3 game after 5. Durbin just missed giving the Sea Dogs the lead with a drive down the line that was just foul.

[Deweys New Stance]

Ellsbury called out on strikes (and he really didn't like the call) with runners on the corners to end the sixth. Ouch. Still 4-3.

[Section15Box113]

Sea Dogs rally to tie in the 7th on a Jimenez RBI double, but can't take the lead. Final out is Durbin cut down at the plate trying to score from first.

[David Laurila]

Sea Dogs come inches away from a dramatic win, but lose 6-4. With two on in the bottom of the 9th, Luis Jimenez hit a long shot to CF that was caught at the wall by a leaping Trevor Crowe. Durbin then K'd to end it.

Game 4 is tomorrow at 6.

[Cuzittt]

Portland loses to Akron, 6-4.

Andrew Dobies went the first 4 1/3 innings, giving up 9 hits (1 HR) and a walk, allowing 4 runs while striking out 3. Rusty Tucker went 1 2/3 innings, giving up a hit, a walk and a HBP, striking out 2. Barry Hertzler went 2 innings, giving up a hit. Brett Evert pitched the final inning and picked up the loss, giving up 4 hits and a walk, allowing 2 runs.

Brandon Moss went 2/4 with a walk and a HR. Brian Myrow went 1/3 with a double and a walk. Luis Jimenez went 1/3 with 2 walks. Keoni de Renne went 1/4. Jacoby Ellsbury went 1/5. George Kottaras went 0/3 with 2 walks. Chris Durbin went 0/4 with a HBP. Jeremy West went 0/3 with a HBP. David Bacani went 0/3 with a walk.

Boxscore

-Brandon

[Cuzittt]

Seadogs Stories:

Game Story

In the bottom of the ninth inning, with one out and two runners on base and the Portland Sea Dogs trailing 6-4, Luis Jimenez connected on a fastball.
The sharp crack of the bat had a loud Hadlock Field crowd going delirious. Portland players were ready to charge out of their first-base dugout.
As the ball sailed high and deep toward the center-field wall, Jimenez turned to his teammates.
He hopped up and down, pointing skyward.
Seconds later, center fielder Trevor Crowe, his back against the wall, squeezed the ball into his glove.
Jimenez slammed down his helmet and stomped to the dugout. Akron Aeros reliever Tony Sipp, after he resumed breathing, struck out Chris Durbin to end the game, a thrilling 6-4 Aeros win in Game 3 of the Eastern League championship series before 7,195 at Hadlock.
Portland, which would have won the championship with a win, still leads the best-of-5 series 2-1. Game 4 is tonight at 6 at Hadlock.
"No good," Jimenez said. It was all the slugger wanted to say after the game. "I'm too mad."
Other Sea Dogs were still in disbelief.
"You got to be kidding me," Durbin said of Jimenez's blast. "I had my hands in the air (celebrating). He hit it and I thought, 'That's it.' It's like the ball went up and died."

Gone, But not Forgotten

The big fella was gone, but not forgotten. Hanging from the screen of the Portland Sea Dogs bullpen Friday night was a large white jersey with the red number 49 underneath MARTINEZ.
Edgar Martinez, the Sea Dogs' burly catcher-turned-closer, is back home in Venezuela. He earned the save in Game 1 of this Eastern League championship series Tuesday night in Akron, then learned Wednesday morning of his father's fatal heart attack.
While his teammates stayed in Ohio and won Game 2, Martinez flew home.
"We feel for him," said fellow reliever Rusty Tucker, the University of Maine product who earned a standing ovation from an electric crowd of 7,195 at Hadlock Field Friday night after a bases-loaded strikeout that kept the Sea Dogs in a Game 3 that had blowout potential. "He's part of our family. We're all thinking of him."
The Sea Dogs have one other Venezuelan: first baseman Luis Jimenez. Nicknamed Little Papi for his resemblance to another Spanish-speaking slugger employed by the Boston Red Sox, Jimenez made sure Martinez was never alone Wednesday. They stayed together from morning until Martinez departed.
On Friday night, Jimenez thought for sure he had delivered a gift for his friend, a ray of sunshine in a time of sorrow.
With one mighty swing in the bottom of the ninth, Jimenez sent a baseball high and deep to center field. With two runners on base and Akron leading 6-4, a home run would have given the Sea Dogs the game, the series, and a ring for Martinez.
"As soon as he hit it, I was like, 'There's no way they're going to get it,' " Tucker said. "But it just seemed to die."

-Brandon

[Tudor Fever]

I was at the game last night, and it still amazes me that the Jimenez blast in the 9th didn't go out. It was crushed to the 400 foot sign in dead center, and Crowe had to reach over his head to get it. (I'm not sure if it would have been a home run had he missed it; it would have been within a foot of the yellow line. If forced to guess, I'd say home run.) If that ball had been hit very slightly to either the left or the right, it's a series-clinching walk-off and one of the most memorable moments in Maine sports history. What a tease.

Theo and his droogs were sitting two rows in front of us and one section to the right, dressed in black and hardly cracking a smile.

Very slow, somewhat sloppy, but highly entertaining game.

Edited by Tudor Fever, 16 September 2006 - 08:43 AM.