The Result
Sea Dogs - 6 to 5

Sea Dogs - Year-to-Date
38 wins - 43 losses

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

At the end of the Game
2 hits from 4 at-bats - double, triple, 3 x RBI's, 2 x runs scored, 1 x GIDP

Brett's at-bats
First at-bat
Righthanded pitcher
Bases empty - two down
Ball - breaking ball - "a little bit low but looked pretty good"
Ball - breaking ball - "again the umpire says that was a little bit low but it looked pretty good"
Called strike
Ball - down and in
"And that is driven in to leftfield and bounces off the 'Maine Monster' and Roneberg has a two-out double ...... Brett went with that outside fastball and banged it off the wall"
Double
Scored on a hit
Second at-bat
Righthanded pitcher
Runner at first base - one down
Called strike - "a high strike but in the zone"
"Hit hard but straight at the Aeros first-baseman who was at the bag holding the runner and he threw to second to start the double-play"
Out 3-to-6-to-3 double play
Third at-bat
Righthanded pitcher
THE BASES ARE LOADED!!!
TWO DOWN!!!
Ball - outside
Called strike - change-up - on the inside corner
Ball - change-up - outside
Foul ball - "deep down the leftfield line but well foul"
"And that is crushed into deep rightfield!!! ...... and the fielder is going back ...... and it's off the wall ...... Fulse scores, Nieves scores and Lockwood is coming around to score!!! ...... and Brett has a bases-clearing triple with his team leading RBI's fifty-one, fifty-two and fifty-three!!!"
Triple
......and 3 x RBI's!!!
Scored on a hit
Fourth at-bat
Lefthanded pitcher
Bases empty - one down
Called strike
Hit to the Aeros first-baseman who fields and throws to the pitcher covering first base
Out 3-to-1

Heard during the game
(1) Following the double-play hit in Brett's second at-bat, the commentator said "that is the sixteenth time that Brett has grounded into a double play, which is a franchise record, and we are only just passed the halfway mark of the season"

He also mentioned "that number means that either Brett is a slow runner or he hits the ball hard and I feel it is the latter reason as Brett is quite good running the bases"

(2) During the top of the fourth inning, the Aeros had a runner at second base - the next batter hit a fly ball into rightfield, and the runner tagged at second and went to third base - Brett threw, attempting a "9-to-5" out - the commentator said "that was a great throw by Roneberg, but it was a little bit high and the third-baseman had to reach for the throw and then bring the ball down to make the tag and the runner was able to slide under and reach the base ...... if the throw was around shoulder height, the out would have been easily made"

(3) As Brett came in for his third at-bat, the commentator mentioned "Brett is 2-for-8 with the bases loaded, with six runs-driven-in"
After the at-bat, he said "Brett how has nine RBI's when batting with the bags full"

(4) The top of the ninth inning
The Sea Dogs leading 6 runs to 5
The Aeros have the bases loaded with two down
"And that pitch is driven deep into the rightfield corner and Roneberg is after it ...... and he makes a great running grab for the final out and saves this game for the Sea Dogs!!!
Brett got a good jump on that hit and was able to track it down and he makes a fine catch in the corner" (see the game reports below)

Email from Brett
Not too bad of a game for me!!!
...and hopefully more of the same tomorrow.
Bye.

Game Reports
Stevens delivers for Dogs

With the news a bit worrisome about one pitcher, the Portland Sea Dogs were encouraged to see another come through Friday night.

Josh Stevens pitched crisply over 7-1/3 innings as the Sea Dogs topped the Akron Aeros 6-5 before 5,529 at Hadlock Field.

Brett Roneberg had a double, a three-run triple and a game-saving catch in right field.

John Hattig added two RBI singles.

While Stevens shined, the Sea Dogs announced that starter Chris Smith would miss a second straight start next week.
Smith is hurt and still seeking medical opinions.

"It's a shoulder problem," Sea Dogs Manager Ron Johnson said.
"The organization is looking at what direction to go with it."

Smith, a rising prospect in the Red Sox system, was 5-2 for Portland with a 3.75 ERA.
He is second in the league in strikeouts with 85 in 74-1/3 innings.

While Smith's future is unclear, Stevens put his recent past behind him.
Stevens (4-6), who was 1-5 since May 21, put in one of his best outings of the season, striking out six.
He got ahead of hitters and froze them with a big, slow curve.

"I was real pleased with Josh's outing," Johnson said.
"The game started to get away from us but we stopped the bleeding."

Stevens allowed seven hits, including three in the eighth inning.

He left with the bases loaded and Portland up 6-2.

Reliever James Johnson gave up a two-run double by Michael Aubrey and a sacrifice fly, closing the score to 6-5.

Right-hander Ryan Larson, who appears to be the new closer with Joe Nelson in Pawtucket, allowed a leadoff single in the ninth.
With one out, he walked a batter.
A groundout put runners on second and third.
After an intentional walk to left-handed Joe Inglett, Larson faced right-hander Ben Francisco, who was 2 for 4 with two RBI.
Francisco sent a deep, sinking fly ball toward the right-field corner, and Roneberg ran it down.

"Had it the whole way," Roneberg said with a grin.
"It was slicing pretty good but I got it."

The Sea Dogs (38-43) outpitched Akron (35-46), which started Jeremy Guthrie (6-4), the Cleveland Indians' No. 2 prospect.

Guthrie, who signed a $4 million contract in 2002, gave up an RBI single to John Hattig in the first, then lost it in the fifth with four unearned runs.
Sean McGowan led off with a single.
With one out, Raul Nieves hit a grounder to second. McGowan was out, but Nieves hustled to first, avoiding the double play.

"That was the key to the game," Johnson said of Nieves.
"He busts his butt on a possible double-play ball and then we score four runs."

A error followed the play, when third baseman Corey Smith couldn't come up with Sheldon Fulse's grounder.

Mike Lockwood walked to load the bases and the team's RBI leader, Roneberg (53), came up.

Roneberg, who doubled and scored in the first, tagged a 2-2 slider off the right-field fence for a bases-clearing triple.

"With two strikes I was just battling," Roneberg said.
"It was a slider down and in and I was glad to get it."

Hattig singled Roneberg in for a 5-1 lead.

In the seventh, Fulse singled, stole second and reached third when the catcher's throw sailed into the outfield.
Lockwood's fly to right field scored Fulse for the needed extra run.

NOTES
Jeff Bailey's hitting streak ended at 12.
He went 0 for 2 and was hit by a pitch twice.
Guthrie also hit Lockwood.
Guthrie also hit three batters in his last start against Portland.
Both of Hattig's RBI singles came against Guthrie.

Francisco's shot at win ends in great catch, loss

Brett Roneberg had a three-run triple and later sprinted to catch the game-ending fly ball as the Portland Sea Dogs beat the Aeros 6-5 on Friday night.

Ben Francisco launched the ball toward the right-field corner with the bases loaded in the top of the ninth, but Roneberg's dramatic catch ended the late rally by Akron.

It was the third consecutive win for Portland.

The Aeros mounted a four-run rally in the eighth, with Francisco hitting an RBI single, Michael Aubrey hitting a two-run double, and Ryan Ludwick hitting a sacrifice fly.

Jeremy Guthrie (6-4) allowed five runs and five hits in six innings.

RONEBERG SHINES IN PORTLAND'S 6-5 WIN
3-Run Triple and Running Catch Beats Akron

Brett Roneberg hit a go-ahead three-run triple in the fifth inning, scored twice and made a running catch to end the game with the bases loaded in the top of the ninth inning, lifting the Portland Sea Dogs to a 6-5 win over the Akron Aeros.

Portland led 6-1 entering the eighth inning, but allowed four runs in the frame on four hits and an error.

Ryan Larson came on in the ninth inning and the Aeros loaded the bases with a single and two walks.

With two outs, Ben Francisco lined a shot down the right field line that was flagged down by Roneberg on the run to end the game.

Josh Stevens (4-6) allowed seven hits and five runs (three earned) to earn the win.
He took a four-hitter into the eighth inning before being charged with the four runs.

It was only Portland's second quality start in the last 19 games.

Portland got a pair of run-scoring singles from John Hattig.

Roneberg's three-run triple highlighted a four-run fifth frame.
The three-bagger came after a two-out error by third baseman Corey Smith extended the inning.

Mike Lockwood's sacrifice fly scored the eventual winning run in the seventh inning.

Eastern League Game Summary - Akron at Portland

Brett Roneberg's three-run triple highlighted a four-run fifth inning, as the Portland Sea Dogs edged the Akron Aeros, 6-5.

The Sea Dogs (38-43) have won three straight contests, while the Aeros (35-46) have dropped their last four.

Roneberg's triple came with two outs in the inning and plated Mike Lockwood, Raul Nieves and Sheldon Fulse.

The Sea Dogs would add a sixth run in the game with a Lockwood sacrifice fly in the seventh inning for an insurance run.

Akron plated four runs in the eighth but fell short by one in the game.

Roneberg finished the game 2-for-4 with two runs scored and a double, triple and three RBI's.

Josh Stevens lasted 7-1/3rd innings to earn the win for Portland.
He allowed seven hits, five runs - three of them earned - one walk and struck out six.
Stevens is 4-6.

Ryan Larson recorded his second save in the win.

Akron's Jeremy Guthrie was dealt the loss.

In six innings he yielded five runs - one earned - on five hits and two walks.
Guthrie struck out four as he fell to 6-4.

Ben Francisco and Michael Aubrey each knocked in two runs for the Aeros in the loss.