The Result
Navigators - 8 to 7

Sea Dogs - Year-to-Date
35 wins - 42 losses

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

At the end of the Game
1 hit from 5 at-bats - single, 1 x RBI, 1 x strike out, 1 x walk, 1 x run scored

Brett's at-bats
First at-bat
Righthanded pitcher
Runner at first base - none down
Ball - fast ball - high
A "high chopper" towards second base - the fielder was unable to turn the double-play but the lead runner was out at second base
Safe at first base on a fielder's choice
To second base on a walk
Scored on a hit
The at-bat that wasn't an at-bat!!!
Runner at first base - two down
Ball - change-up - outside
Ball - "a little bit low"
Ball - fast ball - outside
......and the runner was out trying to steal to second base - side away!!!
Second at-bat
Righthanded pitcher
Led off the innings
"And Brett jumped on that 92mph first-pitch fast ball and drove it 380 feet to deep left-centrefield but the fielder got across to make the catch"
Out F8
Third at-bat
Righthanded pitcher
Bases empty - one down
Called strike - on the outside corner
Ball - breaking ball - low
Ball - low
Foul ball - down the left side
Ball - off-speed - low
Ball - inside
Walk
Left stranded at the end of the inning
Fourth at-bat
Righthanded pitcher
Bases empty - two down
Ball - down and in
Ball - up and away
Foul ball - "and Roneberg swung at ball-3 there as that fast ball was high and he fouled it back"
Ball - "a little bit low and maybe a tad outside"
Called strike - "on the inside corner and that was a good pitch"
"Ground ball on the right side and fielded by the first-baseman who took it to the bag himself for the final out of the innings"
Out PO3
Fifth at-bat
(did not listen)
Lefthanded pitcher
RUNNERS AT FIRST AND SECOND BASE!!! - TWO DOWN!!!
BOTTOM OF THE NINTH INNINGS - SEA DOGS TRAILING 4 RUNS TO 3
THE TYING RUN AT SECOND BASE!!! - THE WINNING RUN AT FIRST BASE!!!
And the count was "0 x balls and 2 x strikes"!!!
Hit to centrefield
Single
......and 1 x RBI - and the game is tied!!!
Left stranded at the end of the inning
Sixth at-bat
(did not listen)
???handed pitcher
THE BASES ARE LOADED!!! - NONE DOWN!!!
BOTTOM OF THE ELEVENTH INNING - SEA DOGS TRAILING 8 RUNS TO 5
Strike out
(Brett rang after the game and said it was a "3-0" count which went to "3-2" with a foul(?) and a called strike - and then the pitcher blew a 95mph fast ball right past him!!!)

Heard during the game
(1) The commentators were discussing the Eastern League All Star Game which is coming up on the 14th July - as well as the team selection, each franchise is allowed to send two players who are selected by "Fan Voting" - the commentator said "from what I understand, Brett Roneberg is easily leading the 'position player' voting, but I am not sure of the voting for a pitcher"
Team announcement on Tuesday 29th June (?)

The following is a note re voting that relates to the 2003 All Star Game - I am not sure if it is still applicable:-
In what may be a minor league baseball first, fans were able to vote for their favorite Eastern League stars.
The teams were selected through fan voting, media personnel, club field personnel and Eastern League administrators.
Each one of the 12 Eastern League teams has at least one pitcher and one position player represented in the game.

Email from Brett
It was a great game tonight even though we lost.
Hope to win tomorrow night.
Bye.

Team Report
This article was published Monday morning 28th June 2004, before the start of a seven-game homestand (3 v Norwich Navigators and 4 v Akron Aeros) at Hadlock Field
Yes, hopefully, home is where the homers are

The Portland Sea Dogs bused out of here Sunday for Portland, returning to Hadlock Field tonight to begin a seven-game homestand.

The remaining schedule features 38 home games and 28 on the road.

But for this team, is that necessarily a good thing?

Hadlock Field is where so many Sea Dogs teams have enjoyed crowd support, batting the ball around, and out of, the small confines of the ballpark.

Hadlock is where the most runs are scored in the Eastern League.

But at times, the Portland bats have gone asleep.

Hadlock fans wait for the lighthouse to rise beyond center field, symbolizing a Sea Dogs home run or win, and sometimes it is a long wait.

"We've had a lot of days where we've struggled to create offense at this ballpark, and it's mystifying," Sea Dogs Manager Ron Johnson said.
"We have some guys with the ability to generate some extra-base power.
"I want us to get the feeling that we had last year at home, where we think we're invincible.
This club has not gotten that kind of feeling from this ballpark yet.
"We need to take advantage of it if we're going to get back in this thing."

"This thing" is the Eastern League Northern Division race.

These Sea Dogs are stumbling, teasingly close to being a contender at times, then falling back.

Portland (35-41) is only 15-18 at home and was .500 away from home until a three-game sweep at the hands of New Hampshire dropped its road record to 20-23.

At home, the Sea Dogs average 4.8 runs a game, just slightly better than the 4.5 average on the road.

Portland has 39 home runs in 43 away games and only 25 in 33 Hadlock dates.

"It's been a mystery to me," Johnson said, "because it's a reversal of last year's club."

Last year's team played well at home and looked bound for the playoffs.
But a 6-15 road record at the end of the schedule doomed the Sea Dogs.

"We were dreadful on the road last year," designated hitter Sean McGowan said.
"So far this year, the homestands have been pretty short.
"The more we play (at Hadlock), you're really going to see a positive outcome. I really think it's going to come together."

Helping it come together will be the return of injured players, including third baseman John Hattig (expected today), outfielder Sheldon Fulse (maybe today) and infielder Jesus Medrano (early next month?).

While the bats can get better, the pitching is not blameless.
The Sea Dogs' ERA of 4.68 is the worst in the league.
Losing closer Joe Nelson to Pawtucket is not going to help.

But when Johnson talks about his team's woes, he looks at his batters, especially when they're digging into the Hadlock clay.

"This club has played very adequately on the road.
But when we've come home, for whatever reason, we have struggled, and it's usually from an offensive standpoint," Johnson said.
"You look at the schedule and from here on out, we're going to put some time in at our ballpark.
Hopefully, we can go home and build a little confidence and realize what a nice offensive ballpark it can be."

They are home tonight, and will be for much of the remainder of the season.

Portland fans can see plenty of their Sea Dogs, as well as the usual treats such as fireworks tonight and the Zooperstars on Tuesday.

Maybe over the next 10 weeks, that lighthouse beyond the center-field fence won't be such a stranger.

Game Reports

A real crowd pleaser

With the Portland Sea Dogs down 4-2 in the bottom of the ninth at 8:30 Monday night, the front-office staff considered ways to fill time until it was dark enough for the postgame fireworks.

Seventy-six minutes later, the fans were still waiting for the fireworks, which became the dessert to a heart-thumping, foot-stomping baseball game.

Many of the 6,920 fans at Hadlock Field applauded when it was over, even though their Sea Dogs lost.

"What a great game and a great crowd," said Sea Dogs outfielder Mike Lockwood, playing his first game at Hadlock.

Portland scored twice in the ninth to tie it, then rallied again in the 11th with three runs.
But the rally fell short and the Norwich Navigators held on for an 8-7 victory.

It was the fourth straight loss for Portland (35-42), but Sea Dogs Manager Ron Johnson walked tall in the clubhouse.
"Nice game fellas. Heck of a game," he told his players.
"After being down, we put ourselves in a position to win twice. I'm proud."

Norwich (39-37) got back-to-back home runs off reliever Ryan Larson (4-1) with two outs in the 11th, a three-run blast by Doug Clark and Chris Curry's solo shot.

The Sea Dogs scored three in the bottom of the inning and had the bases loaded with one out.
But they could not get the equalizer.

Back in the ninth, Portland had tied the game after being down to its last strike.
With two outs, pinch-hitter Jeff Bailey crushed a full-count fastball over the Maine Monster in left.
Sheldon Fulse and Lockwood then walked and Brett Roneberg singled to score Fulse, tying the game at 4.

In the 11th, Larson struck out the first two batters.
But he walked the next two before Clark's homer just cleared the right-field wall.
Then Curry hit the Citgo sign above the Monster for what turned out to be a huge insurance run.

In the bottom of the 11th, reliever Alberto Montes (5-3) gave up a run on a walk, singles by Bailey and Fulse and Lockwood's RBI walk.
Jeremy Accardo came on and struck out Roneberg, but Mike O'Keefe stroked a two-run single to center, closing Portland to 8-7.
After a wild pitch, John Hattig was intentionally walked to load the bases.
Sean McGowan grounded to short.
Catcher Justin Knodler leaped to catch the throw home and came down on the plate to just beat the sliding Lockwood for the out.
"It was so close, it could have gone either way," Lockwood said.
Kenny Perez then flied out to center to end the game.

The dramatic ending overshadowed the starting pitchers.

Portland's Charlie Zink had his knuckleball fluttering.
He gave up only two hits over 6-2/3 innings, but he also walked six batters and three of them scored.
Zink left the game with a 2-1 lead, the bases loaded and two outs in the seventh.

Derin McMains tagged reliever Juan Perez for a three-run double down the right-field line.

Norwich starter Matt Cain, 19, showed his huge potential with a 95-mph fastball and solid curve.
He is a first-round draft pick and only two years removed from high school.

After spotting Portland a 2-0 lead in the first inning, which included Fulse's leadoff home run, Cain shut down the Sea Dogs.
From the second to seventh, he allowed two hits and one run.

But the game was far from over.

Home Runs Lift Navigators In The 11th Inning

Doug Clark and Chris Curry homered in the top of the 11th inning as the Norwich Navigators defeated the Portland Sea Dogs 8-7 Monday in the Eastern League.

Sheldon Fulse and Jeff Bailey homered in Portland's loss.

Fulse's leadoff homer was the key hit as the Sea Dogs (35-42) grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first inning.

Julian Benavidez's RBI single gave the Navigators (39-37) their first run in the third, and Derin McMains' bases-loaded double sent Norwich ahead 4-2 in the seventh.

After Bailey's pinch-hit homer narrowed Portland's deficit to 4-3 in the bottom of the ninth, the Sea Dogs tied it on two walks and Brett Roneberg's RBI single.

The Navigators scored four runs in the top of the 11th on Clark's three-run homer and Curry's solo shot.

The Sea Dogs rallied for three in the bottom of the inning on two singles and three walks and left the bases loaded for the final out.

PORTLAND RALLIES, BUT FALLS IN 11 INNINGS
Norwich Wins 8-7, Sea Dogs Leave Winning Run on Base in 9th and 11th

Doug Clark and Chris Curry hit back-to-back home runs in a four-run 11th inning, then the Norwich Navigators survived a Sea Dogs rally in the bottom of the frame to beat Portland, 8-7 Monday night.

Sheldon Fulse homered and scored three runs in his return from the disabled list and Jeff Bailey hit a pinch-hit home run in the Sea Dogs two-run ninth inning rally to share the Allied Big Dog of the Game.

Fulse's leadoff home run in the first inning - the first by a Sea Dog since Jeremy Owens last August - highlighted a two-run first for Portland.

But the Sea Dogs would not move a runner past first base again until the ninth frame.

Julian Benavidez hit a run-scoring single off Charlie Zink in the third inning.

Norwich took the lead in the seventh frame with a hit, two walks and a three-run double from Derin McMains off reliever Juan Perez.

Down 4-2 in the ninth inning with the bases empty and two outs, Bailey hit a pinch-hit home run over the Maine Monster to cut the lead to one.
Fulse and Mike Lockwood walked on full count pitches, setting up Brett Roneberg's game-tying RBI single on an 0-2 pitch from Mitch Walk.
Mike O'Keefe nearly won the game, but Benavidez made a diving play at first to end the inning.

A pair of two-out walks from Ryan Larson (4-1) set up Clark's seventh home run of the season, a shot off the glove of the leaping Roneberg at the right field wall.
Curry followed with a homer off the Citgo sign in left field.

Down four runs in the 11th, the Sea Dogs scored a run on two hits and two walks.
O'Keefe then singled in two runs and another walk loaded the bases with one out.
But Jeremy Accardo got Sean McGowan to hit into a force out at home and retired Kenny Perez on a flyout to end the game.

Eastern League Game Summary - Norwich at Portland

Doug Clark hit a three-run home run in the top of the eleventh to power the Norwich Navigators past the Portland Sea Dogs, 8-7, in eleven innings.

Norwich put four runs on the board in the top of the eleventh and held on to win by one.

Portland scored three times in their half of the eleventh and fell just short.

With the score tied at 3-3, Clark hit a two-out three run shot to rightfield to give the Navigators a 6-3 lead.
Chris Curry would follow with a solo homer and that would be the difference in the game.

Derin McMains knocked in three runs and scored one for the Navigators.

Alberto Montes got the win and upped his record to 5-3 overall.
Montes gave up three runs on two hits in one inning pitched.

Jeremy Accardo tossed a scoreless 11th inning to pick up his first save of the season.

Portland's Ryan Larson was shelled in his 1-2/3rd innings of work and fell to 4-1.
Larson allowed four runs on three hits and struck out four.

Mike O'Keefe plated two runs and leadoff hitter Sheldon Fulse hit his fifth homer of the year and scored three runs for the Sea Dogs.