The Result
Sea Dogs - 3 to 2

Sea Dogs - Year-to-Date
16 wins - 24 losses

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

At the end of the Game
0 hit from 3 at-bats - 1 x walk, 1 x GIDP

Brett's at-bats
First at-bat
Righthanded pitcher
Runner at first base - one down
Called strike - right down the middle
"A bouncer to the Rock Cats first-baseman who was able to turn the twin killing"
Out 3-to-6-to-3 double play
Second at-bat
Righthanded pitcher
Bases empty - one down
Popped-up the first pitch to shallow right-centrefield and the second-baseman went back to make the catch"
Out F4
Third at-bat
Righthanded pitcher
Led off the innings
Ball - high and away
Called strike - curve ball
Called strike - change-up - on the outside corner
Ball - outside
Foul ball - back
"And that pitch is hit very, very deep to centrefield but the fielder back-pedalled to rope it in"
Out F8
And the commentator said - "Roneberg hit that one right on the screw!!!"
Fourth at-bat
Righthanded pitcher
Runners at second and third base - one down
......and the score was tied at two in the top of the eighth innings!!!
"And Roneberg is going to get a free pass here and you can only agree with that decision as it will create the force and as well set up a righty-v-righty situation"
Intentional walk
Left stranded at the end of the innings

Heard during the game
(1) As Brett was coming in for his first at-bat, the commentator said that "Brett has had a fine four game series so far against the Rock Cats. He is 4 from 15 (0.267) with a double and driven in four runs"

Email from Brett
N/A

Game Reports
Sea Dogs get needed shot in the ... back
Dogs nip Rock Cats

New Britain Rock Cats reliever Beau Kemp would have been fine 150 years ago.
On a sacrifice bunt by Sheldon Fulse in the eighth inning, Kemp fielded the ball and plunked the Portland Sea Dogs runner in the back.
In baseball’s formative years, Fulse would have been out, but in 2004, it goes down as an error.

Fulse’s effort led to a game-winning sacrifice fly by Sean McGowan Thursday night as the Sea Dogs nipped the Rock Cats, 3-2, before 3,211 at New Britain Stadium.

Portland (16-24) took the five-game series by winning three times.

The Rock Cats (18-21) have dropped five of the eight games on the homestand.

"These guys always play us tough. There have been games like this all four years that I’ve been up here," Rock Cats manager Stan Cliburn said.
"We’ve won our share of those games but it was unfortunate we lost this series. We’ve got to pick it up."

Edgar Martinez led off the crucial frame with a single to center.
Fulse pushed his bunt down the first-base line and the throw by Kemp (3-1) glanced off his back.
Both runners were safe.

"When Kemp threw the ball, he tried to make an off-balance throw," Portland Manager Ron Johnson said.
"(Fulse) was in the lane so I figured we'd have an opportunity.
When it comes down to games like this, they're won or lost on fundamentals. It's whoever can execute situational baseball and we were fortunate."

After another sacrifice by Raul Nieves, McGowan lifted a long fly to center that enabled Martinez to score an unearned run.

"You’ve got to get an out on a bunt," Cliburn said.
"That was a good bunt but you’ve got to clear yourself by catching the ball and taking a step back or moving across the line and throwing around the runner. When you don’t get outs on bunts, you’re going to lose close games."

The Rock Cats loaded the bases on walks in the eighth but Joe Nelson (7th save) got Kevin West to hit into an inning-ending double play.

"West got a little overanxious on 2-1 and swung at a ball in the dirt," Cliburn said.
"(Nelson) came back with a great pitch, a slider that was down and away on the black. West used his two-strike approach but the pitcher made his pitch."

Jason Howell (2-2) allowed a hit and walk in 1 1/3 innings but earned the win.

Rock Cats starter Rick Helling was on the spot and turned in a solid start.
Helling, who won 20 games with the Texas Rangers in 1998, was signed by the Minnesota Twins as a free agent in January.
He was on his way to notching the fifth slot in the rotation when a line drive fractured his shin bone.
After two starts with the Rock Cats, Helling was told there was no room on the big-league roster so he was showcasing his talents in the hope of attracting attention.
He turned in seven strong innings, allowing two runs on five hits and a walk while fanning five.

"It wasn’t as good as I can throw and wasn’t as bad as I can throw. It was in between," Helling said.
"I didn’t feel as good as I felt my last start but my command was better.
"I’m not going to get to the big leagues by impressing scouts. Somebody’s going to want me basically for what I’ve done in the past. I think I’ve proven that my leg’s fine."

Portland right-hander Chris Smith was brilliant through five innings.

Luis Maza roped a one-out triple in the first, then Smith set down the next 14 hitters.

John Hattig staked him to a 1-0 lead with a homer leading off the fifth, but the Rock Cats, who had managed just three runs in the previous 30 innings, caught up with Smith in the sixth.

Seth Davidson led off by spanking a double off the right-field wall.
With two out, Maza smacked a two-run homer, his fourth of the season.

Smith yielded just four hits, walked none and struck out nine in six innings.

All told, Portland pitching fanned 13 Rock Cats hitters.

Portland tied the game against Helling in the seventh.
Sean McGowan singled with one out, Hattig drew a walk and Eric Johnson came through with a clutch single.

Eastern League Game Summary - Portland at New Britain

Sean McGowan's sacrifice fly in the top of the eighth innings propelled the Portland Sea Dogs over the New Britain Rock Cats, 3-2.

The Rock Cats (18-21) have lost two straight games, while the Sea Dogs (16-24) are winners of their last two.

McGowan's sacrifice plated Edgar Martinez to give the Sea Dogs a 3-2 lead.

John Hattig went 2-for-3 with a run scored, a home run and an RBI in the win.

McGowan finished the night 1-for-3 with a run scored.

Portland starter Chris Smith was solid in six innings of work.
He allowed four hits, two earned runs and struck out nine in a no-decision.

Jason Howell picked up the win in relief to improve to 2-2.

Joe Nelson picked up his seventh save of the season.

New Britain's Beau Kemp suffered the loss.
In 2 innings of relief work, he allowed two hits, one run, a walk and struck out two.
He is 3-1 on the season.

Luis Maza provided the offense for the Rock Cats after he went 2-for-3 with a run scored, a triple, a home run and two RBI.

CATS FALL SHORT

Rick Helling turned in a sterling performance and Luis Maza had a triple and two-run homer for the Rock Cats, but it wasn't enough as Portland came back to win 3-2 on Thursday night.

Helling limited the Sea Dogs to two runs on five hits and one walk.
He struck out five in seven innings.

Beau Kemp (3-1) suffered the loss as he allowed the winning run in the eighth inning.

For Portland, reliever Jason Howell (2-2) took the win and Joe Nelson picked up his seventh save.