The Result
Sea Dogs - 10 to 6

Sea Dogs - Year-to-Date
13 wins - 17 losses

Brett's Position and the Batting Order
Playing rightfield
Batting #3

At the end of the Game
2 hits from 3 at-bats - 2 x home runs, 4 x RBI's, 3 x runs scored, 2 x walks

Brett's at-bats
First at-bat
Righthanded pitcher
Runner at third base - one down
Ball - curve ball - down and away
Called strike - curve ball - "floats in"
Called strike - fast ball - knee high on the outside corner
Ball - in the dirt
Deep fly ball into rightfield
HOME RUN
......and 2 x RBI's!!! (click here for all the home run details)
And the commentator said -
"that pitch was up in Brett's zone and he launched it over the fence just to the right of the scoreboard"
"that ball had a resounding crack off the bat and you could tell that it was going to go a long way"
"cleared all three levels of signage"
Second at-bat
Righthanded pitcher
Runner at second base - two down
Called strike - curve ball - on the outside corner
Ball - low and away
Ball - curve ball - low and outside
"...and there it goes!!! - down the line and deep into rightfield"
HOME RUN
......and 2 x RBI's!!! (click here for all the home run details)
And the commentator said -
"he threw Brett a curve ball earlier in the count and tried it again but this time Brett launched it over the wall"
Third at-bat
Righthanded pitcher
Led off the innings
Ball - curve ball - high and away
Ball - fast ball - outside
"Chopper" past the mound
Out 6-to-3
Fourth at-bat
Righthanded pitcher
Runners at first and third base - two down
Swing&miss - fast ball
Ball - just off the outside corner
Ball - change-up - just outside and maybe a little high
Ball - fast ball - just outside
Called strike - fast ball - "a very generous call as that appeared to be 4"-5" inches off the plate"
Ball - curve ball - "very close but maybe a little high"
Walk
Went to third base on a hit
Left stranded at the end of the innings
Fifth at-bat
Righthanded pitcher
Runner at third base - one down
"...and Roneberg is going to get a free pass"
Intentional walk
To second base on a hit
And to third base on a walk
Scored on a sacrifice fly - "there is an appeal at third base for leaving early but the umpire ruled that Roneberg tagged after the catch was made"

Heard during the game
(1) In the top of the first innings the Rock Cats were two down - the next batter "hit that ball into rightfield and it's sinking quickly but Roneberg is coming in ... and makes a diving catch and that's a fine play by Brett for the last out of the innings"

(2) As Brett came in for his first at-bat, the commentator said that "Roneberg has a thirteen game hitting streak and that is the longest by a Sea Dog player for three years"
He also mentioned that "Brett extended his streak to twelve games with a single that squeezed through the right side and to thirteen games with an infield single"

After his home run he said "that's the way to extend the hitting streak to fourteen games!!!"

He then mentioned "that this is equal to the longest hitting streak in the Eastern League this season"

(3) After his second home run, the commentator said "with his four RBI's today, Brett now has 23 for the season which leads the Sea Dogs and moves Brett into the Eastern League Leaders in that category"
NOTE - following this game, Brett was fifth in the Eastern League with his 23 x RBI's ("top spot" is 30 runs-batted-in)

Email from Brett
Yeh, not too shabby, huh!!
I was really in need of that off day.
Felt great today,
and now we will see what happens tomorrow.
Bye.

Game Reports

McGowan's hit helps Dogs survive

After missing 20 games with shin splints, Portland Sea Dogs first baseman Sean McGowan has used the month of May as another spring training.
And McGowan, a 6-foot-6 cleanup batter, is hitting his stride.

McGowan drove in the tie-breaking runs with a single up the middle in the sixth inning Tuesday night, lifting the Sea Dogs to a 10-6 win over the New Britain Rock Cats.

McGowan's hit snapped a 5-5 deadlock.

He added another RBI in the eighth, helping to make sure the 5,232 fans at Hadlock Field went home happy.

"We've had him in the four-hole from the first day," said Sea Dogs Manager Ron Johnson.
"You're dealing with a guy who's a very good hitter. So nothing he does surprises me. I'm very pleased with him."

New Britain had rallied from a 5-0 deficit before McGowan, who entered the game hitting .333, came to the plate with the bases loaded in the sixth.
His ground-ball single drove in Jesus Medrano and Mike Campo to make it 7-5.

"I was feeling good and looking for something soft and off speed," said McGowan. "I got a pretty good one.
"(That's) why you play all nine innings. At this field you can't let a team back in. Everything counts."

Brett Roneberg hit a pair of two-run homers in his first two at-bats and Sheldon Fulse added an RBI double as Portland built a 5-0 lead after two innings.

But the Rock Cats chipped away and tied it in the fifth.

Jason Kubel's two-run triple to the warning track in center field made it 5-2 in the third.

In the fifth, Portland pitcher Josh Stevens gave up consecutive RBI doubles by Luis Maza, Kevin West and Garret Jones.

Stevens, who began the season with Triple-A Pawtucket, gave up 10 hits and three earned runs in six innings.
He got the win in his second start since being sent down to Portland.

"He bent but didn't break," said Johnson.
"They jumped on some first-pitch fastballs. It's gonna happen. They scored a few on him."

After regaining the lead in the sixth, Portland broke the game open in the eighth.
McGowan drove in a run with a single after Roneberg had been intentionally walked.
Roneberg scored on a sacrifice fly by Jeff Bailey and Mike O'Keefe singled home McGowan to make it 10-5.

The Rock Cats got their final run in the ninth when B.J. Garbe drove in Kubel with a bloop single to center.

Portland right-hander Joe Nelson recorded the final two outs to earn the save, getting out of a bases-loaded jam.
He struck out pinch-hitter Garry Torres and forced James Tomlin to ground out to the shortstop.

NOTES
The Rock Cats were sporting solid black hats from Coastal Athletics after forgetting to pack their regular hats for the three-game series in Portland.
Sea Dogs right-hander Charlie Weatherby was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday for future considerations.

Roneberg's Homers Turn Back Rock Cats

Brett Roneberg hit two two-run homers and Sean McGowan had three RBI as the Sea Dogs defeated the New Britain Rock Cats 10-6 Tuesday in Portland, Maine.

Jesus Medrano had three hits and scored three runs and Mike O'Keefe added a two-run single for Portland.

The Rock Cats had eight extra-base hits, including three doubles by Garrett Jones and a two-run triple by Jason Kubel.

Roneberg's two homers were the big blows as the Sea Dogs took a 5-0 lead after two innings.

Kubel's triple plus a barrage of doubles were the key hits as the Rock Cats tied it with two runs in the third and three in the fifth.

McGowan singled in the sixth with the bases loaded to make it 7-5.

After McGowan drove in one in the eighth, Mike O'Keefe's bases-loaded single gave the Sea Dogs a 10-5 lead.

PORTLAND OFFENSE EXPLODES AGAIN IN WIN
McGowan, Roneberg Lead Portland 10-6 Win over New Britain

Brett Roneberg homered twice, scored three runs and drove in four runs and Sean McGowan went 4-for-4 with three RBI as the Portland Sea Dogs topped the New Britain Rock Cats, 10-6 Tuesday night for their sixth win in the last nine games.

Roneberg hit a pair of two-run home runs in the first two innings, extending his hitting streak to 14 games.

Portland's 5-0 lead evaporated in the middle innings, as the Rock Cats scored twice in the third frame on Jason Kubel's two-run triple and three times in the fifth frame on four doubles.

McGowan broke a 5-5 tie with a two-run single in the sixth inning and added an insurance run with an RBI single as part of a three-run eighth inning.
McGowan is now 13-for-20 in the last five games and has four consecutive multu-hit games.

Josh Stevens (1-0) allowed 10 hits over six innings, but earned his first win of the season.

Joe Nelson got the final two outs with the bases loaded for his fifth save.

The two sides continue a three-game series Wednesday night.

Eastern League Game Summary - New Britain at Portland

Brett Roneberg had a monster night, slamming two home runs and knocking in four to power the Portland Sea Dogs (13-17) to a 10-6 victory over the New Britain Rock Cats (13-16).

Sean McGowan followed Roneberg in the lineup, and was just as productive, going 4-for-4 on the night with a double, three RBI and a run scored.

Jesus Medrano set the table in the leadoff spot for the Sea Dogs, and fell a home run short of the cycle.
Medrano also scored three runs.

Josh Stevens improved to 1-0 with the win.
Stevens allowed five runs, three earned, on 10 hits in six innings.
He also struck out five.

Joe Nelson picked up his fifth save, tossing 2/3rds of an inning.

Victor Moreno fell to 1-1, allowing two runs on three hits in two innings of work.

Jason Kubel drove in a pair and Garret Jones went 4-for-5 with three doubles in a losing effort.

Portland will send Jerome Gamble (1-1) to the hill tomorrow night.
He'll face New Britain's Boof Bonser (0-4), who is in search of his first win on the year.