8/17/07 Portland Sea Dogs-Trenton Thunder game story for the Portland Press Herald
Horne, Trenton score a victory in pitchers' duel
August 17, 2007
TRENTON, N.J. -- Trenton's Alan Horne got the job done, and
Portland's Justin Masterson didn't.
That much was obvious Thursday night as Horne led the
Thunder to an 8-4 win over the Sea Dogs at Waterfront Park.
Horne (12-4) scattered three hits over six innings.
He allowed four runs -- three earned -- and struck out six. He
is 2-1 with a 2.79 ERA in three starts against Portland this
season.
"(He had) good stuff," said Portland right fielder Cory Keylor.
"(His) fastball was alive. He's a good pitcher.
"His ERA and record show it. He threw well enough to win
tonight."
Then there was Masterson. In his first career start against the
Thunder, he gave up seven runs on 11 hits in a span of five
innings.
He faced the first four batters in the sixth but did not record an
out and has lost consecutive starts for the first time since May
27 and June 2, when he was with Class A Lancaster.
Masterson, the reigning Eastern League player of the month,
said he wasn't told much about Trenton but it wasn't a concern.
"I watched them Tuesday and looked at their stats and whatnot.
For me the biggest thing is the in-game adjustments," he said.
"As I go, I work my sinker and read off of that. That's the biggest
thing that helps me: see how guys swing.
"I might need to make adjustments early. That's how I go about
it."
No matter what adjustments he made Thursday, Masterson
never seemed comfortable on the mound.
He was spotted a 1-0 lead in the first inning on Aaron Bates' RBI
double.
The lead didn't last. In the second, P.J. Pilittere drove in two runs
with a bases-loaded single.
Gabriel Lopez followed with a run-scoring single of his own, as
did Reegie Corona.
The Sea Dogs (63-57) then began to chip away at the 4-1
deficit.
Jay Johnson's RBI single in the third cut into Trenton's lead, and
Keylor scored in the fourth inning when Corona committed an
error on John Otness' grounder to make it 4-3.
Andrew Pinckney drove a 1-0 fastball over the wall in right field
in the sixth for his 10th home run of the season and tied the
game at 4-all.
Masterson gave up RBI doubles to Matt Carson and Gabriel
Lopez in the bottom of the sixth inning before being pulled by
Manager Arnie Beyeler.
The bottom three in Trenton's lineup went 9 for 12 with six RBI
and scored five runs.
"Giving up seven runs isn't a lot of fun. (A lot of it) was ground
balls finding holes," Masterson said. "In a span of six days, it's
two bad outings."
The Thunder added a run in the eighth on Colin Curtis' RBI
single.
Today is a travel day for the Sea Dogs as they head back to
Portland.
They start a four-game series against New Britain tonight at
Hadlock Field.
http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=127999&ac=PHspt
Copyright © 2007 Blethen Maine Newspapers
Thunder starter Alan Horne does enough to stop Portland as Justin Masterson stumbles again.
August 17, 2007
TODAY'S GAME
WHO: Portland Sea Dogs (Bowden 6-4) vs. New Britain Rock Cats (TBA)
WHEN: 7 p.m.
WHERE: Hadlock Field
Portland's Justin Masterson didn't.
That much was obvious Thursday night as Horne led the
Thunder to an 8-4 win over the Sea Dogs at Waterfront Park.
Horne (12-4) scattered three hits over six innings.
He allowed four runs -- three earned -- and struck out six. He
is 2-1 with a 2.79 ERA in three starts against Portland this
season.
"(He had) good stuff," said Portland right fielder Cory Keylor.
"(His) fastball was alive. He's a good pitcher.
"His ERA and record show it. He threw well enough to win
tonight."
Then there was Masterson. In his first career start against the
Thunder, he gave up seven runs on 11 hits in a span of five
innings.
He faced the first four batters in the sixth but did not record an
out and has lost consecutive starts for the first time since May
27 and June 2, when he was with Class A Lancaster.
Masterson, the reigning Eastern League player of the month,
said he wasn't told much about Trenton but it wasn't a concern.
"I watched them Tuesday and looked at their stats and whatnot.
For me the biggest thing is the in-game adjustments," he said.
"As I go, I work my sinker and read off of that. That's the biggest
thing that helps me: see how guys swing.
"I might need to make adjustments early. That's how I go about
it."
No matter what adjustments he made Thursday, Masterson
never seemed comfortable on the mound.
He was spotted a 1-0 lead in the first inning on Aaron Bates' RBI
double.
The lead didn't last. In the second, P.J. Pilittere drove in two runs
with a bases-loaded single.
Gabriel Lopez followed with a run-scoring single of his own, as
did Reegie Corona.
The Sea Dogs (63-57) then began to chip away at the 4-1
deficit.
Jay Johnson's RBI single in the third cut into Trenton's lead, and
Keylor scored in the fourth inning when Corona committed an
error on John Otness' grounder to make it 4-3.
Andrew Pinckney drove a 1-0 fastball over the wall in right field
in the sixth for his 10th home run of the season and tied the
game at 4-all.
Masterson gave up RBI doubles to Matt Carson and Gabriel
Lopez in the bottom of the sixth inning before being pulled by
Manager Arnie Beyeler.
The bottom three in Trenton's lineup went 9 for 12 with six RBI
and scored five runs.
"Giving up seven runs isn't a lot of fun. (A lot of it) was ground
balls finding holes," Masterson said. "In a span of six days, it's
two bad outings."
The Thunder added a run in the eighth on Colin Curtis' RBI
single.
Today is a travel day for the Sea Dogs as they head back to
Portland.
They start a four-game series against New Britain tonight at
Hadlock Field.
http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=127999&ac=PHspt
Copyright © 2007 Blethen Maine Newspapers
posted by Denis P. Gorman at 2:05 AM
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