Despite committing five errors, Portland hangs on to a 6-2 victory.
PORTLAND – The Portland Sea Dogs are living charmed lives.
The Sea Dogs tried their best to give away Monday night’s game at Hadlock Field, but the Bowie Baysox would have none of it.
Portland came away with a 6-2 victory despite committing five errors and leaving 12 men on base.
“Sometimes you have to be more pleased with these types of games,” said Portland manager Ron Johnson. “We were able to play not too crisp and yet we still won the game.”
The victory allowed the first-place Sea Dogs to avoid their first three-game losing streak of the season.
With the scored tied at two in the bottom of the sixth inning, Portland sent 10 men to the plate and scored four times on three hits, two walks and a pair of errors.
Justin Headley had the key hit of the inning, slashing a two-run double down the left-field line against Bowie’s third pitcher of the night, left-hander John Parrish.
Headley’s hit came one pitch after he stepped out of the batter’s box to regroup after taking a questionable strike call to fall behind in the count.
“I wanted to make sure I didn’t get too carried away and give away that at-bat,” said Headley, who is starting to come around offensively after a 6-for-45 slump.
After fouling off the next pitch, the left-handed hitting Headley slapped a slider to the opposite field.
“I was just trying to fight it off and it ends up a hit,” said Headley.
Jorge De La Rosa (4-2) picked up his fourth straight win after allowing just five hits and a pair of unearned runs in six innings. The left-hander walked one and struck out eight.
Bowie scored in the top of the first without the benefit of a hit.
Ed Rogers walked with one out, stole second, and went to third on catcher Kelly Shoppach’s throwing error.
Shortstop Raul Nieves was then charged with an error when he couldn’t handle a line drive off the bat of former Sea Dog Fletcher Bates, allowing Rogers to score.
“It was knuckling like crazy,” said Johnson. “(Nieves) said he thought it was going to hit him in the face.”
The Sea Dogs scored single runs in the first and third innings on Andy Dominique’s RBI single and Tony Schrager’s sacrifice fly.
Portland also left eight men on base in the first four innings again Bowie starter Jacobo Sequea.
“He was really walking the tightrope out there,” Bowie manager Dave Trembley said of Sequea.
The Baysox tied the game in the top of the sixth.
After singling to lead off the inning, Rogers was caught leaning by De La Rosa, who threw to Dominique at first base.
But Dominique’s throw to second hit Rogers in the back and bounded into the outfield as Rogers went to third.
He then scored on a ground out.
“We kicked the ball around a little bit,” said Johnson. “We were fortunate it didn’t come back to bite us.”
Sea Dogs notes: Nieves had two hits, walked twice and scored twice….Left-hander James Johnson left the game with a stiff back after throwing a scoreless seventh inning. Johnson just returned from Triple-A Pawtucket….Dustin Brisson worked out before the game and will be activated today. Brisson has been on the disabled list since April 21 with a high ankle sprain….As expected, left-hander Matt White has been promoted to Pawtucket, where he’ll pitch tonight….Right-hander Charlie Weatherby was activated from the disabled list and Ryo Kumagai was sent to Class A Sarasota….Jeremy Owens was named Eastern League Player of the Week after hitting .552 (16-for-29) in 10 games. He had five doubles, a triple, three home runs, drove in 12 runs and stolen six bases while posting a 1.103 slugging percentage. Bowie’s Brian Forystek was tabbed as Pitcher of the Week. The left-hander went 2-0 and didn’t allow an earned run in 10 innings over two starts….Tim Kester (2-2, 2.93 ERA) opposes Bowie’s Matt Riley (1-2, 3.93) tonight at 6 p.m.
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