The Result
Thunder - 11 to 2

Sea Dogs - Year-to-Date
40 wins - 46 losses

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

At the end of the Game
2 hits from 4 at-bats - 2 x singles, 1 x RBI

Brett's at-bats
First at-bat
(did not hear)
Righthanded pitcher
Bases empty - two down
Ground ball to the second-baseman
Out 4-to-3
Second at-bat
Righthanded pitcher
Runner at second base - one down
Foul ball - fast ball - out of play to the left
Ball - low
Ball - low and away
Swing&miss - change-up
Line drive into rightfield for a base hit - and the runner advanced to third base
Single
Out at second base on a "fielder's choice" hit by the next Sea Dogs batter
Third at-bat
Righthanded pitcher
Runners at first and third base - one down
Ball - low inside
Line drive into rightfield - a run scored and the other runner went to second base
Single
......and 1 x RBI
Went to second base on a "fielder's choice" grounder
Left stranded at the end of the innings
Fourth at-bat
Lefthanded pitcher
Bases empty - two down
Popped-up the first pitch into shallow leftfield and the fielder came in to make the catch
Out F7

Heard during the game
N/A

Email from Brett
N/A

Game Reports
Trenton fingers Zink's knuckler

Charlie Zink didn't have it Thursday, and did the Trenton Thunder ever make him pay.

Zink and his unpredictable knuckleball lasted just three innings as the Thunder rolled to an 11-2 victory before a matinee crowd of 6,953 at Waterfront Park.

Zink saw his earned-run average in 10 road starts this season swell to 8.45 after Trenton collected 14 hits and scored all but one of its runs with two outs to avoid a three-game sweep.

Seven of the hits went for extra bases, including home runs by Mitch Jones, Bronson Sardinha and Aaron Rifkin, but none of the homers came against Zink (1-8).

Zink, who walked three batters in the first inning to pad his Double-A leading total to 72, needed a staggering 75 pitches to get through the third before the Thunder (41-43) continued the rout against Bo Donaldson and Ryan Larson.

Four Trenton players knocked in at least two runs, led by Jones and his four RBI.

"It just wasn't our day," Sea Dogs Manager Ron Johnson said.
"I thought (Zink) had good movement on his knuckleball, but he's out there trying to produce a pitch and trying to create something that not a whole lot of people have all that much knowledge about."

Zink included.
He had little idea where his pitch was headed, except for out of the strike zone.
Or right back at him.

"Against the knuckleballer, our guys stayed back, and even (against) the off-speed pitchers that came in later we continued to be patient," Thunder hitting coach Steve Braun said.
"They stayed back and used the whole field."

Jones homered in all three games against Portland (40-46), which returns home for a four-game series against Altoona beginning tonight.

Despite the loss to Thunder starter Matt DeSalvo (2-2), the Sea Dogs took 2 of 3 from Trenton to win a series for the first time in their last six tries.

Portland will be back in Trenton immediately after the all-star break to open a four-game set next Thursday.

"Charlie didn't have it, no, but our biggest nemesis was the two-out hits," Johnson said.
"Ten of their 11 runs with two outs pretty much sums it up.
But I have to say I'm real pleased with getting out of here with two out of three."

Offensive overload

With some 80 busloads of day campers running around amongst a paid crowd of 6,953 at Waterfront Park during the Thunder's 11-2 dismantling of Portland yesterday afternoon, you can bet Thunder hitters weren't the only ones itching to dig in against Sea Dogs knuckleballer Charlie Zink.

The only two places Zink was sure his floater was headed were out of the strike zone or right back at him, as the Thunder pounded 14 hits and scored 10 of their 11 runs after two were out to avoid a three-game sweep and give rookie right-hander Matt DeSalvo his second Double-A victory.

"The two-out knocks are big and we haven't been doing that enough his year," said a scalding-hot Mitch Jones, who homered for the fourth consecutive game - one shy of tying Greg Blosser's franchise-record of five straight, set July 25-29, 1995.
"That game right there is a perfect example of what can be done with two outs."

Ironically, none of the Thunder's three homers, by Jones, third baseman Bronson Sardinha and first baseman Aaron Rifkin, came against the soft-tossing Zink (1-8), who padded his Double-A-leading walk total to 72 and saw his ERA in 10 road starts soar to 8.45 after his three fruitless innings.

Zink needed a staggering 75 pitches to get through the third before the Thunder (41-43) turned their attention to relievers Bo Donaldson and Ryan Larson.

Seven of the Thunder's 14 hits went for extra bases and four different players knocked in at least two runs, led by Jones and his four RBIs.

"It's just good to see these guys get some runs in, no matter how many outs there are," hitting coach Steve Braun said.
"We've struggled at times with men on base, but I think we went in with a good plan.
Against the knuckleballer the guys stayed back, and even the off-speed pitchers that came in later, we continued to be patient.
They stayed back and used the whole field."

As well as DeSalvo (2-2) pitched - which was pretty darn good, with four virtually flawless innings paired with minor hiccups in the fourth and sixth innings - the enthusiasm was tempered after the right-hander complained about a "twinge" in his lower back.
After retiring Portland catcher Edgar Martinez leading off the sixth, DeSalvo said the discomfort near his sciatic nerve began to take hold.
He next walked Joe Kilburg, unleashed consecutive wild pitches, and then walked the next batter, Mike Lockwood - prompting a visit by manager Stump Merrill.

"It bothers me on the off-speed pitches because I have a tendency to stay (upright) instead of following through," DeSalvo said.
"It happens all the time. It's just my style of pitching, but I usually just throw through it."

Merrill gave his newest prospect every opportunity to do just that.
He allowed DeSalvo to complete the sixth inning, but not before a one-out RBI single by Brett Roneberg completed the scoring for the Sea Dogs (40-46).
That, however, was as far as Merrill was willing to go with a pitcher making just his fourth Class-AA start.

"He was on his `A' game, it's just a shame he tweaked his back a little bit," Merrill said.
"You just hope it's nothing serious because he was throwing well. Very well.
After seeing that you can see why he had the success he had (6-3, 1.43 ERA at Class-A Tampa)."

DeSalvo will be monitored closely on his side day this weekend, but he will get an extra two days off since his next scheduled day to pitch (Tuesday) falls during the All-Star break.

Eastern League Game Summary - Portland at Trenton

Mitch Jones homered and drove in four runs to power the Trenton Thunder over the Portland Sea Dogs, 11-2, in Eastern League action Thursday afternoon.

Jones had a pair of hits, including his 23rd round-tripper of the season.

Aaron Rifkin and Bronson Sardinha also homered for the Thunder, who improved to 41-43.

Andy Cannizaro and Omar Fuentes had three hits apiece to pace a 14-hit Thunder attack.

Matthew DeSalvo allowed four hits and two runs over six innings and evened his record at 2-2 for Trenton.

Charlie Zink was pounded for seven runs, five of which were earned, in just three innings of work and dropped to 1-8.

Brett Roneberg led the Sea Dogs, who fell to 40-46, with two hits.

PORTLAND FALLS IN FINALE AT TRENTON
Thunder Hit 3 Homers in 11-2 Rout

Mitch Jones homered for the fourth straight game and drove in four runs as the Trenton Thunder salvaged a game in a three-game series with an 11-2 win over the Portland Sea Dogs on Thursday afternoon.

Brett Roneberg singled twice and drove in a run for the Dogs, who managed only five hits.

Three Sea Dog pitchers combined to allow 11 runs, 14 hits, three home runs and six walks.

Portland failed in an attempt to sweep the Thunder for the first time in three seasons, but still won the series - its first in the last six series.

Charlie Zink (1-8) allowed seven hits, three walks and five runs in three innings.
His ERA rose to 5.79 - and 8.45 in 10 road starts.

Jones finished the series with seven hits, three home runs, seven RBI and six runs scored for Trenton.

Aaron Rifkin and Bronson Sardinha added a home run and two RBI for the Thunder.

THUNDER USE LONG BALL IN 11-2 ROUT OF PORTLAND
Jones, Rifkin and Sardinha hit Home Runs in win

Mitch Jones, Aaron Rifkin and Bronson Sardinha each hit home runs to help Trenton defeat Portland 11-2 in Eastern League play on Thursday afternoon.

Jones slammed his 23rd home run of the season and now has home runs in fourth consecutive games, one shy of the Trenton franchise record.
His three-run homer in the 6th inning gave Trenton (41-43) an 8-2 lead.
In the series, Jones had 7 hits, 3 home runs, 6 runs, and 6 RBI.
With the three RBI day, Jones is now tied for sixth in the Eastern League in RBI with 56.

In the 7th inning, Sardinha and Rifkin hit back-to-back home runs.
Sardinha hit his 3rd home run of the season over the centerfield wall, a two-run shot, and Rifkin launched his 13th.

The three homers by Trenton gives them 84 on the season which is the 3rd highest team total in the Eastern League.

Trenton starter Matt DeSalvo (2-2) went six innings and only gave up four hits and two runs.
He struck out three and walked two to earn his second Double-A win.

The Thunder jumped on Portland (40-46) knuckleball starter Charlie Zink (1-8) early on with three first inning runs.
The big hit in the 1st inning was a two-run single by Omar Fuentes.

Fuentes collected three hits on the afternoon.

Zink only lasted three innings, giving up seven hits and five runs while walking four.