The Result
Sea Dogs - 4 to 3

Sea Dogs - Year-to-Date
29 wins - 33 losses

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

......and following defensive changes, he went to centrefield at the start of the ninth innings

At the end of the Game
2 hits from 4 at-bats - single, double, 1 x strike out

Brett's at-bats
First at-bat
Righthanded pitcher
Bases empty - two down
Ball - outside
"And that pitch is ripped into centrefield and over the fielder's head and it short-hopped the wall and Roneberg cruises into second base with a double"
Double
Left stranded at the end of the innings
Second at-bat
Righthanded pitcher
Runner at third base - two down
Called strike - "in the upper part of the zone"
Ball - fast ball - very high
Foul ball - off the end of the bat and back to the screen
Ball - outside
Foul ball - "off the fists and to the screen"
Foul ball - "off the fists again"
Foul ball - down the left side
Called strike - "a change-up on the inside part of the plate and Roneberg knew it"
Strike out
Third at-bat
Righthanded pitcher
Runners at second and third base - two down
"And that is hit hard but 'speared' by the first-baseman ranging to his right and he throws to the pitcher covering first base for the out and Roneberg was robbed of a two-run hit"
Out 3-to-1
Fourth at-bat
Righthanded pitcher
Led off the innings
Called strike - "and that's a very generous outside corner strike call"
Ball - low and inside
"A soft line drive which was fielded by the shortstop diving to his right and that was a great play but he was forced to throw from his knees and it bounced a couple of times and Roneberg beat it out and was past the base before the ball arrived"
Infield single
To second base on a walk
Left stranded at the end of the innings

Heard during the game
(1) When the commentator was giving out the starting line-ups, he said "Brett Roneberg, who is battling a slump, is in rightfield and batting third in the line-up tonight"

(2) As Brett was standing in the box ready for his first at-bat, the commentator mentioned that "Brett has struggled lately but he hit the ball very hard in his last two at-bats yesterday and hopefully for Brett that is a sign of things to come"
Then he belted the double to the fence, and he said "Welcome back!!!"

Email from Brett
N/A

Game Reports

Dogs battle back

The Portland Sea Dogs' schedule contains 142 games so no-one-single-game in June is hardly worthy of somersaults.

But just in case the Sea Dogs do make something of their season, mark down June 13 as a date to remember.

For on a Sunday afternoon at Hadlock Field, the Sea Dogs turned what seemed a lifeless defeat into a thrilling victory.

Portland followed a standing ovation for its defensive play in the top of the ninth with a three-run rally in the bottom of the inning, earning a 4-3 win over the New Britain Rock Cats before a crowd of 6,324.

New shortstop Jimmy Alvarez, just sent down from Pawtucket, stroked the winning, two-run single.

"That was a real, real positive win for us," said Manager Ron Johnson, who could not underestimate the victory.
"We needed that. It's big."

Portland (29-33) would have fallen deeper into last place in the Eastern League's Northern Division with a loss.

Instead, the Sea Dogs are only a game behind New Britain (29-31), and more importantly, three games behind second-place New Hampshire.

Defeat seemed inevitable Sunday.
Portland trailed 3-1, its only run coming on a Mike O'Keefe homer.
Portland was 0 for 13 with runners on base until the ninth inning.

It was a strangely quiet day at the plate, especially with the wind blowing out toward right field.

"The pitchers did well to keep the ball down," New Britain Manager Stan Cliburn said.

Portland starter Charlie Zink had one of his best outings of the season (six innings, one run, three hits, four strikeouts), with his knuckler dancing in the wind.

But reliever Colin Young gave up an RBI double by B.J. Garbe in the seventh and a solo home run by Luis Maza in the eighth, and New Britain led 3-1.

In the top of the ninth, Portland reliever Ryan Larson (2-0) issued a leadoff walk.
Garbe hit a blooper that dropped in short center, but pinch-runner Jake Mauer held up at first, thinking the ball would be caught.
Second baseman Raul Nieves threw him out at second, with Larson covering.

"It's a weird play, but one that we practice," Larson said.

Then Larson picked off Garbe at first.
Catcher Edgar Martinez ensured the third out with a sliding catch of a foul ball, and the Hadlock crowd rose to its feet in appreciation.

Portland used that momentum, plus key hits and a series of New Britain miscues, to produce its winning rally.

Pinch-hitter Mike Campo led off and was hit by a pitch on a 2-2 count.
Raul Nieves then worked a full count before hitting a foul pop-up toward the Rock Cats' on-deck circle.
Catcher Rob Bowen raced to the backstop, but the wind brought the ball back and Bowen overran it.

"It was a gift," said Nieves, who pounded the next pitch, an inside fastball, for a single to right field, sending Campo to third.

Cliburn summoned his fifth pitcher of the game, Jason Richardson (1-2).
Joe Kilburg pounced on his first pitch, swatting a fastball for an RBI single to center.

"I knew he wanted to get ahead in the count and I looked for a fastball," Kilburg said.

With runners on first and second, Alvarez missed on a bunt attempt.
But Richardson's next pitch hit the dirt and bounced past Bowen, advancing the runners.
Alvarez then delivered a hit down the right-field line.

"I just wanted to put the ball in play. I got excited when I saw where it went," Alvarez said.

NOTES
The Sea Dogs have today off before resuming their homestand at 6 p.m. Tuesday against Bowie.

Eastern League Game Summary - New Britain at Portland

Jimmy Alvarez smacked a two-run single in the bottom of the ninth inning, capping off a three-run frame to lead the Portland Sea Dogs to a 4-3 comeback win over the New Britain Rock Cats.

Joe Kilburg started off the rally with an RBI single that plated Mike Campo, cutting the Rock Cat lead to 3-2.
Alvarez would bring home Raul Nieves and Kilburg with his game winning hit.

Ryan Larson (2-0) picked up the win, tossing one inning of relief.

Portland starter Charlie Zink had a nice outing, allowing just an earned run and three hits in six innings.

Mike O'Keefe contributed a solo home run for Portland.

Jason Richardson (1-2) suffered the loss, allowing a run on two hits without getting an out.

Starting pitcher Jon Pridie allowed just a run in five innings and struck out six.

Luis Maza went 3-for-4, falling a single shy of the cycle in a losing effort.

Portland improved to 29-33, while New Britain dropped to 29-31.

SEA DOGS TURN INTO COMEBACK KIDS
Portland Scores 3 in 9th, Shocks New Britain, 4-3

Jimmy Alvarez hit a game-winning two-run single to cap a three-run ninth inning as the Portland Sea Dogs rallied to shock the New Britain Rock Cats, 4-3 Sunday afternoon.

Alvarez, who was just sent to Portland from Triple-A Pawtucket yesterday, grounded a pitch inside the first base bag to score Raul Nieves and Joe Kilburg.

Nieves finished 2-for-3 with a run and made a pair of outstanding defensive plays.

Down 3-1 in the ninth inning, the Sea Dogs rally began when pinch-hitter Mike Campo was hit by a pitch.
Nieves then hit a foul pop-up on a 3-2 pitch that was misplayed by catcher Rob Bowen.
Nieves followed by roping a single to right field.
Jason Richardson (1-2) relieved Pat Neshak and his first pitch to Kilburg was laced into center field for a run-scoring single.
After a wild pitch, Alvarez lined a 1-1 pitch inside first base to score the tying and winning runs.

It was the first time since last May the Sea Dogs had won a game when trailing after eight innings.
Portland was 0-28 this season when trailing after eight frames.

New Britain rallied for a 3-1 lead in the late innings.
B.J. Garbe drove in the go-ahead run in the seventh inning with an RBI double and Luis Maza homered for an insurance run in the eighth inning.

Starter Charlie Zink allowed only three hits and a single run in six innings, but did not figure in the decision.

Ryan Larson (2-0) earned the win with a scoreless ninth inning - with help from Nieves, who ranged into shallow center field to retrieve a wind-blown pop-up and throw out a lead runner at second base in the ninth inning.

Mike O'Keefe homered for Portland in the second inning - his seventh of the season.

The Sea Dogs enjoy an off day on Monday and begin a three-game series with Bowie on Tuesday night.

Sea Dogs Stop Cats In 9th

Jimmy Alvarez's two-run single capped a three-run rally in the ninth as the Sea Dogs defeated the New Britain Rock Cats 4-3 Sunday in Portland, Maine.

Pinch hitter Mike Campo was hit by a pitch from Pat Neshak to start the ninth.
Raul Nieves then singled to right.
Jason Richardson (1-2) relieved Neshak and Joe Kilburg singled on his first pitch to score Campo.
Alvarez singled after a wild pitch.
He had joined the team Saturday from Triple A Pawtucket.

The Rock Cats' Luis Maza had a home run, triple and double.