The Result
Sea Dogs - 8 to 7

Sea Dogs - Year-to-Date
42 wins - 48 losses

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

At the end of the Game
0 hit from 4 at-bats - 1 x walk

Brett's at-bats
First at-bat
(did not hear)
Righthanded pitcher
Runner at first base - one down - and this runner was out 'caught stealing' during Brett's at-bat
Fly ball into leftfield
Out F7
Second at-bat
(did not hear)
Righthanded pitcher
Runner at first base - none down
Line out to centrefield
Out F8
Third at-bat
Righthanded pitcher
Runner at first base - one down
"...and the Curve have the "shift" on Roneberg with the third-baseman thirty-five feet off the base in the hole, the shortstop is near the bag, and the second-baseman is deep between first and second base"
Ball - low
Called strike - fast ball
Ball - curve ball - high
A high-chopper back up the middle and it's fielded by the second-baseman and the only play is to first base - and the runner advanced to second base
Out 4-to-3
Fourth at-bat
Righthanded pitcher
Bases empty - two down
Ball - low
Ball - low
High fly ball to left-centrefield
Out F8
Fifth at-bat
Righthanded pitcher
Bottom of the ninth inning!!!
Score 7 runs to 6 ...... and it was 7 to 1 at the start of the inning!!!
Runners at second and third base - and these were the tying and winning runs!!!
One down!!!
"And Roneberg is going to get a free pass here and though the crowd are booing, this move makes a lot of sense as it creates a force all round"
Intentional walk
Left stranded at the end of the innings

Heard during the game
(1) During the game the commentators were discussing the player's performances during the first part of the season before the All Star break and said "Roneberg has had a good half and is in the Eastern League 'Top 10' in a number of batting categories" (click here for the details)

(2) As Brett was coming in for his third at-bat, the commentator said "...and that brings in Roneberg who is 0-for-2 today with two deep fly outs"

Email from Brett
N/A

Game Reports
There's no quit in these Dogs

It would be so easy to look at the record and give up on these Portland Sea Dogs.

The Sea Dogs were 41-48 entering Monday's game against Altoona at Hadlock Field.
Loss No. 49 sat on the doorstep with Portland down 7-1 going into the bottom of the ninth inning.

Instead, the Sea Dogs scored six runs in the ninth and won the game in the 10th, beating the Eastern League's top team, 8-7.

Yes, this is still a losing Sea Dogs team.
But the die-hards remaining from a sellout crowd of 6,975 saw a classic.

"It's a long season and there are so many ups and downs," said Portland's Mike Lockwood, who drew a bases-loaded walk to force in the winning run.

It was the third walk in the inning.

Lockwood, in a 4-for-38 slump, went 3 for 5 with a clutch two-run double in the ninth.

Portland (42-48) heads into the All-Star break nine games out of a playoff spot.
With 52 games left, who knows?

"These guys, there is some chemistry here," Sea Dogs Manager Ron Johnson said.
"We're just a few parts short of hitting on all cylinders.
"Hopefully, we can take this two-day break, make some adjustments and make those things right for the second half."

The Sea Dogs made some moves Monday.
Designated hitter Sean McGowan was put on the inactive list, and catcher Edgar Martinez was sent to Class A Augusta (Ga.), where the parent Boston Red Sox will try to convert him into a pitcher.

The Curve hit five home runs, one by Ryan Doumit and two each by Ronny Paulino and Ray Sadler.

Sheldon Fulse homered for the Sea Dogs in the fourth inning.

Portland starter Josh Stevens struck out nine in six innings, but trailed 5-1 when Bo Donaldson took over in the seventh.

Donaldson allowed two runs in two innings, including the second home run by Sadler.

Altoona (54-36), leading 7-1 after 8-1/2 innings, brought in Elio Serrano to close out the Sea Dogs.
Serrano hit leadoff batter John Hattig in the ankle, and Kenny Perez replaced the limping Hattig.
Mike O'Keefe followed with a blast over the right-field wall, and the score was 7-3.
After a groundout and consecutive singles by Joe Kilburg and Martinez, Jeff Miller replaced Serrano and walked Raul Nieves on a full count to load the bases.
Fulse, who went 4 for 5 after striking out four times Sunday, singled in a run to make it 7-4.

"I just tried to clear (Sunday) from my mind and not let it affect me," Fulse said.

Lockwood hit an outside fastball for a double off the wall scoring two, closing Portland to 7-6.
Brett Roneberg was intentionally walked to load the bases, and Perez fell behind 0-2 before hitting an opposite-field sacrifice fly to left, scoring Fulse with the tying run.

Altoona put two runners on with one out in the 10th, but Colin Young (1-0) retired the final two batters.

In the bottom of the 10th, Kilburg hit a one-out single off Eddie Cadelario (0-4), and pinch-hitter Jeff Bailey walked on a full count.
With two outs, Fulse also walked on a full count to load the bases.
Lockwood went to 3-2 before fouling off a fastball.
He then took another fastball, high and inside, for ball four, giving Portland the improbable victory.

As the Sea Dogs celebrated, Altoona pitching coach Jeff Andrews walked off the field with painful grin.
"That was not fun," Andrews said.

The fun belonged to the Sea Dogs.

"It's a perfect example of what we talk about," Johnson said.
"If things are going lousy, stay with it.
Keep trying to get good at-bats. You never know."

Portland edges Altoona

Eddie Candelario walked Mike Lockwood with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 10th inning Monday, handing the Portland Sea Dogs an 8-7 victory over the Altoona Curve in the Eastern League.

Mike O'Keefe hit a two-run homer and Sheldon Fulse went 4 for 5 with a homer and two RBIs as Portland scored six runs in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game before winning it in the 10th.

Altoona's Ray Sadler and Ronny Paulino belted two homers apiece, and Ryan Doumit also homered.

The Curve set a franchise record with 10 extra-base hits.

After Sadler's first homer of the afternoon made it 1-0 in the second, back-to-back shots by Doumit and Paulino sent Altoona (54-36) ahead 3-0 in the third.

Fulse narrowed the Sea Dogs' deficit to 3-1 with a drive over the right-field fence in the bottom of the third.

Paulino's second homer of the afternoon and back-to-back doubles by Kevin Nicholson and Yurendell DeCaster added two Altoona runs in the sixth, Sadler's second solo blast made it 7-1 in the seventh.

But Portland rallied to tie the game in the ninth behind O'Keefe's two-run homer and bases-loaded hits by Fulse and Lockwood.

In the 10th, Portland loaded the bases on Joe Kilburg's single and two walks before Candelario missed a 3-2 pitch to Lockwood to force home the winning run.

CATCHER EDGAR MARTINEZ has struggled as a hitter the past few seasons, but no one has questioned his arm strength.
The parent Boston Red Sox hope to capitalize on that strength by moving Martinez to the mound.
After Monday's 8-7 win against Altoona, Martinez was sent to Augusta, Ga., in the Class A South Atlantic League, where he will begin a new career as a pitcher.
Martinez, a 22-year-old born in Guigue, Venezuela, signed with the Red Sox in 1998.
Except for 2001 when he hit .320 for Lowell in the New York-Penn League, Martinez has never hit well.
This was his first season in Double-A and he was batting .163 with one home run and 10 RBI.

SEAN MCGOWAN, a first baseman and designated hitter, was placed on the temporary inactive list and is expected to be released.
McGowan, 27, was released by the San Francisco Giants in March 2003 and signed by the Red Sox.
He hit .311 in Portland last season and is a career .307 hitter.
McGowan has been nagged by injuries.
He started the season on the disabled list with shin splints and recently was relegated to being a designated hitter because of a biceps strain in his right arm.
He was batting .262 with three home runs and 32 RBI this season.

REPLACEMENTS
The Red Sox would not say who would replace McGowan and Martinez.
An obvious choice would be first baseman Stefan Bailie, 24, a fourth-round draft pick in 2001.
Bailie has been slowed by injuries and is spending his third season at Class A Sarasota (Fla.).
He currently is batting .306 with 10 home runs and 43 RBI.
The Red Sox may look outside the organization for a backup catcher in Portland, or they could pluck Alberto Conception from Sarasota.
Conception, 23, a 20th-round pick in 2002, is hitting .300 with three home runs and 36 RBI.

RONEBERG TO ATHENS
Outfielder Brett Roneberg finally reached a decision to join the Australian national team for the Olympic Games in Athens, Greece.
Roneberg said he will leave the Sea Dogs on Aug. 10 or 11 and return on Aug. 25.
That may provide a chance to see outfielder Matt Murton, a first-round pick last year, who is hitting .282 in Sarasota with 11 home runs and 47 RBI.

NOTES
Left-hander Kason Gabbard (sprained ankle) will miss his next start.
Knuckleball pitcher Joe Rogers, who relieved for 3-2/3 innings Sunday, returned to Sarasota on Monday.
The Sea Dogs will be on the road for eight games after the All-Star break - Thursday through Sunday at Trenton and Monday through July 22 at Norwich, Conn.
The Sea Dogs return to Hadlock Field July 23 for a 7 p.m. game against Norwich.

PORTLAND WINS COMEBACK FOR THE AGES, 8-7
Sea Dogs Score 6 in 9th, 1 in 10th to Shock Altoona

The Portland Sea Dogs scored the largest ninth-inning comeback win in franchise history Monday, scoring six times in the ninth inning and winning it with a Mike Lockwood bases loaded walk in the 10th frame to shock the Altoona Curve, 8-7 before a sellout crowd of 6,975 at Hadlock Field.

Sheldon Fulse went 4-for-5 with a home run, two RBI, a walk and two runs scored and Lockwood went 3-for-5 with a key two-run double in the ninth inning and the winning bases loaded walk in the 10th frame to share the Allied Big Dog of the Game award.

Altoona built a 7-1 lead on the strength of five solo home runs and five doubles - the 10 extra-base hits were the most ever allowed by Portland in a game.

The Sea Dogs began the improbable rally in the ninth inning against reliever Elio Serrano.
John Hattig was hit with a 0-2 pitch and was pinch-run for by Kenny Perez, who scored on Mike O'Keefe's 12th home run.
With one out, Joe Kilburg and Edgar Martinez hit consecutive singles to chase Serrano.
Closer Jeff Miller, who had not allowed a run since June 5, walked Raul Nieves to load the bases.
Fulse then singled to right field to make it 7-4 and Lockwood doubled inside the left-field line to bring Portland within a run.
Brett Roneberg was intentionally walked to load the bases.
Perez then hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score Fulse with the tying run.

In the tenth frame, reliever Eddie Candelario gave up a single to Kilburg and walked a pair to load the bases, setting up the winning walk by Lockwood.

Eastern League Game Summary - Altoona at Portland

Mike Lockwood went 3-for-5 and knocked in three runs including the game winner in the top of the tenth inning as the Portland Sea Dogs beat the Altoona Curve 8-7 in Eastern League action.

Lockwood won the game with a bases loaded walk.
Lockwood had driven in two runs in the bottom of the ninth as the Sea Dogs rallied from a six run deficit to tie the score.

The scoring in the ninth started with a two run blast by first basemen Mike O'Keefe.
Sheldon Fulse continued the scoring a few batters later by knocking an RBI single to right.
Lockwood followed with his two run double.
Kenny Perez capped off the scoring with a sac fly to tie the game.

Altoona had a commanding six run lead heading into the ninth thanks to Ronny Paulino and Ray Sadler who each hit two homeruns and drove in two runs.

Ryan Doumit also knocked a homer and drove in two for Altoona.

Doumit, Paulino, Sadler, Kevin Nicholson and Nate McLouth all had two hits for the Curve.

For Portland, Sheldon Fulse went 4-for-5 with a homerun, two RBI and two runs scored.

Joe Kilburg went 2-for-5 with two runs scored.

Colin Young earned his first victory of the season by pitching 2/3rds of an inning and holding Altoona scoreless.

Portland starter Josh Stevens got knocked around for five earned runs in six innings pitched.

Altoona wasted a solid outing by starter Bobby Bradley who pitched 5-2/3rds innings and gave up just one earned run while striking out three.

Eddie Candelario (0-1) took the loss giving up a run in 2/3rds of an inning pitched.

As the two teams head into the All-Star break Portland finds it's record at 42-48, 10-1/2 games behind Binghamton in the Eastern League's Northern Division.

Altoona currently finds itself in first place in Eastern League's Southern Division with a record of 54-36.

BLOWN LEAD OVERSHADOWS RECORD SETTING DAY

Altoona set franchise records by belting five home runs and notching 10 extra-base hits but blew a six-run lead in the ninth inning and lost 8-7 to Portland in 10 innings on a bases loaded walk.

The Curve had a six-run cushion, highlighted by two home runs off the bats of both Ray Sadler (# 15/16) and Ronny Paulino (# 10/11) while Ryan Doumit (# 10) added one of his own, entering the bottom of the ninth.

Elio Serrano came in to start the frame just three outs away from helping the Curve improve to franchise record 20 games over .500.
But it was not to be.

The Sea Dogs rallied to score four off of Serrano that included a two-run home run by Mike O\'Keefe.
Jeff Miller took over for the Curve with runners on first and second and one out.
Miller walked Raul Nieves to load the bases, bringing Sheldon Fulse to the plate.
Fulse slapped an RBI single to right, closing the gap to 7-4.
Mike Lockwood then ripped a double that scored two more Sea Dogs and the lead was down to just one for the Curve.
Following an intentional walk to Brett Roneberg, Kenny Perez delivered the game-tying sacrifice fly that brought home Fulse.

Tied at seven the game went into extra innings.

After the Curve was held scoreless in the top half of the tenth, Portland came to bat versus right-hander Eddie Candelario.
A single by Joe Kilburg and two walks loaded the bases with two outs.
Lockwood worked the count full versus Candelario and eventually drew the walk that brought home Kilburg and the winning run.

Bobby Bradley was impressive for the Curve in his second start since returning from the Disabled List.
Bradley went 5-2/3 innings and allowed just five hits and one run (a solo home run by Fulse).

Candelario (0-1) took the loss while Portland's Colin Young (1-0) recorded his first victory.

Not only did the Curve set a franchise record with five home runs but they added five doubles as well to tally a record 10 extra-base hits.

All nine Curve batters had at least one hit and all but Nate McLouth notched an extra-base hit.

With Ray Sadler's two longballs tied Josh Bonifay for the team lead at 16.

The Curve closed out the first half of the season with a 54-36 record, one win shy of the win total at last year's All-Star Break.
But having played three less games than the 2003 club, this year's team enters the break with the highest winning percentage (.600) in team history.

The Curve will take at least a six game lead into the Mid-Summer Classic in the Southern Division depending on what Erie and Bowie do in their evening games.

Portland improved to 42-48 and is a half game ahead of New Britain to avoid the last place position in the Northern Division.