August 15, 2007 Portland Sea Dogs-Trenton Thunder game story for the Portland (Maine) Press Herald
Errant throw costly to Dogs
Trenton takes advantage of an error in the 10th inning to push across a run to beat Portland, 4-3.
August 15, 2007
TRENTON, N.J. — It was an innocent grounder, an infield hit
at best.
And then, it wasn't.
Iggy Suarez fielded Mike Kinkade's slow grounder and threw the
ball past Aaron Bates in the bottom of the 10th inning, allowing
Carlos Mendoza to score the winning run in Trenton's 4-3
victory over the Portland Sea Dogs in front of 6,277 at
Waterfront Park Tuesday night.
The Sea Dogs fell to 9-19 in one-run games and are eight
games behind the first-place Thunder in the Eastern League
Northern Division.
Mendoza, who entered the game in the eighth as a pinch runner
for first baseman Juan Miranda, doubled off Kyle Jackson (4-8)
with one out in the 10th. Kinkade, on a 2-2 pitch, beat out the
grounder to Suarez, and Mendoza scored when Suarez's throw
sailed into the Trenton dugout.
"It hurt coming off the field," said Suarez. "It was a routine
ground ball and I expect better from myself. It (stinks) to lose on
error, stinks to let (good) pitching go to waste.
"I rushed the throw; it was a routine grounder and I saw him
busting down the line and I rushed the throw."
Portland starter Chris Smith pitched effectively, going six innings
and allowing three runs on six hits while striking out four. His
ERA rose just slightly, from 3.74 to 3.79.
Hunter Jones scattered four hits and struck out two in 2⅓
innings, and Jackson only allowed Mendoza's double and
Kinkade's single while getting charged with an unearned run.
Trenton took a 2-0 lead in the second. Designated hitter Cody
Ehlers' double scored Kinkade. Matt Carson's infield single put
runners on the corners with one out for P.J. Pilittere, whose
sacrifice fly scored Ehlers.
Tyler Clippard made his second start for the Thunder after being
activated from the disabled list. In 22/3 innings, Clippard
allowed two runs on one hit, walked one and struck out four. He
was also directly responsible for the Sea Dogs' two-run third.
After striking out Andrew Pinckney and Suarez to start the
inning, Clippard walked Jeff Natale and hit Bryan Pritz in the
shoulder before getting lifted for Jason Jones.
Bubba Bell then doubled home both runners to tie the game.
Since being called up from Class A Lancaster on July 5, Bell is
hitting .271 (39 for 144), with five doubles, two triples, four
homers and 22 RBI in 33 games. Manager Arnie Beyeler said
Bell's presence has stabilized the middle of the lineup.
"Both (Bell and first baseman Bates) are good young players
(and) play hard every night. They can both drive the baseball and
their numbers show that. Bubba's been here for a few weeks and
he's been a real consistent producer for us in the middle of the
order," Beyeler said.
The Sea Dogs took the lead in the fourth. With one out and
runners at first and third, Natale drove in Dusty Brown with a
sacrifice fly to give Portland a 3-2 lead.
In the bottom half of the inning, Gabriel Lopez doubled to center
to score Pilittere and tie the game again.
Copyright © 2007 Blethen Maine Newspapers
http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=127571&ac=PHspt
Trenton takes advantage of an error in the 10th inning to push across a run to beat Portland, 4-3.
August 15, 2007
TODAY'S GAME
WHO: Portland Sea Dogs (Tommy Hottovy 2-8) vs.
Trenton Thunder (Chase Wright 4-1)
WHEN: 7:05 p.m.
WHERE: Waterfront Park, Trenton, N.J.
TRENTON, N.J. — It was an innocent grounder, an infield hit
at best.
And then, it wasn't.
Iggy Suarez fielded Mike Kinkade's slow grounder and threw the
ball past Aaron Bates in the bottom of the 10th inning, allowing
Carlos Mendoza to score the winning run in Trenton's 4-3
victory over the Portland Sea Dogs in front of 6,277 at
Waterfront Park Tuesday night.
The Sea Dogs fell to 9-19 in one-run games and are eight
games behind the first-place Thunder in the Eastern League
Northern Division.
Mendoza, who entered the game in the eighth as a pinch runner
for first baseman Juan Miranda, doubled off Kyle Jackson (4-8)
with one out in the 10th. Kinkade, on a 2-2 pitch, beat out the
grounder to Suarez, and Mendoza scored when Suarez's throw
sailed into the Trenton dugout.
"It hurt coming off the field," said Suarez. "It was a routine
ground ball and I expect better from myself. It (stinks) to lose on
error, stinks to let (good) pitching go to waste.
"I rushed the throw; it was a routine grounder and I saw him
busting down the line and I rushed the throw."
Portland starter Chris Smith pitched effectively, going six innings
and allowing three runs on six hits while striking out four. His
ERA rose just slightly, from 3.74 to 3.79.
Hunter Jones scattered four hits and struck out two in 2⅓
innings, and Jackson only allowed Mendoza's double and
Kinkade's single while getting charged with an unearned run.
Trenton took a 2-0 lead in the second. Designated hitter Cody
Ehlers' double scored Kinkade. Matt Carson's infield single put
runners on the corners with one out for P.J. Pilittere, whose
sacrifice fly scored Ehlers.
Tyler Clippard made his second start for the Thunder after being
activated from the disabled list. In 22/3 innings, Clippard
allowed two runs on one hit, walked one and struck out four. He
was also directly responsible for the Sea Dogs' two-run third.
After striking out Andrew Pinckney and Suarez to start the
inning, Clippard walked Jeff Natale and hit Bryan Pritz in the
shoulder before getting lifted for Jason Jones.
Bubba Bell then doubled home both runners to tie the game.
Since being called up from Class A Lancaster on July 5, Bell is
hitting .271 (39 for 144), with five doubles, two triples, four
homers and 22 RBI in 33 games. Manager Arnie Beyeler said
Bell's presence has stabilized the middle of the lineup.
"Both (Bell and first baseman Bates) are good young players
(and) play hard every night. They can both drive the baseball and
their numbers show that. Bubba's been here for a few weeks and
he's been a real consistent producer for us in the middle of the
order," Beyeler said.
The Sea Dogs took the lead in the fourth. With one out and
runners at first and third, Natale drove in Dusty Brown with a
sacrifice fly to give Portland a 3-2 lead.
In the bottom half of the inning, Gabriel Lopez doubled to center
to score Pilittere and tie the game again.
Copyright © 2007 Blethen Maine Newspapers
http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=127571&ac=PHspt
posted by Denis P. Gorman at 9:45 AM
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