The Sea Dogs pitcher throws a three-hitter against the Navigators.
PORTLAND – It’s been a busy week from Chris Elmore.
After being demoted from Triple-A Pawtucket while the team was in Virginia, Elmore made stops in Pennsylvania, Maine and Rhode Island before attending a wedding this past weekend in Alabama.
On Monday night, the left-hander was on the mound at Hadlock Field pitching for the Portland Sea Dogs.
Judging by his performance, he might be on the move again soon.
Elmore threw three-hit ball over six innings as the Sea Dogs posted their first shutout of the season, blanking the Norwich Navigators 2-0.
“I’ve seen him crisper,” said Portland manager Ron Johnson, who managed Elmore for parts of the last two season in Class-A Sarasota and Double-A Trenton. “But seeing him back out there tonight with that confidence….he just knows how to get things done.”
Elmore has dominated at the Double-A level, going 13-5 with a 2.31 earned run average between the tail end of the 2001 campaign and the beginning of last season.
He had surgery to remove bone chips from his elbow in the off-season and stayed at extended spring training in April with shoulder problems before becoming a victim of the numbers game in Pawtucket.
“Anytime you get sent down, it’s disappointing,” said Elmore, who walked one and struck out five. “I just happened to be the odd man out and I’m trying to do things to get back up there.”
Elmore pitched out of a couple of jams and was aided by some outstanding defense.
With runners at the corners and two outs in the top of the second inning, the Navigators’ Chris Curry bounced a ball off of the glove of third baseman Kevin Youkilis.
Shortstop Tony Schrager alertly fielded the tipped ball and threw to first to get Curry on a questionable call at first.
“That’s how it goes when things are going bad,” said Norwich manager Shane Turner, whose club has lost five straight.
Schrager led off the bottom of the fourth with his fourth home run of the season.
The Sea Dogs scratched out another run in the inning against Norwich starter Vance Cozier (1-2) on Kelly Shoppach’s sacrifice fly, but left the bases loaded.
Elmore hit Adam Shabala with a pitch leading off the sixth.
One out later Alejandro Freire, who is second in the Eastern League with 11 home runs, made a bid to tie the game driving an Elmore offering high and deep to left-center field.
Sea Dogs center fielder Jeremy Owens went back, felt for the wall, and made a leaping catch to keep the ball in the park.
“I thought it was going to be close,” said Owens. “I got back to the wall quick and was able to size it up.”
Charlie Weatherby threw two scoreless innings, with left-fielder Tonayne Brown making a diving catch with a man on the end the eighth.
“You like to see that stuff,” Johnson said in reference to the defensive plays. “You like to see everyone contribute and tonight everyone contributed.”
Anastcio Martinez retired the side in order in the ninth to record his eighth save of the season.
Sea Dogs notes: The Sea Dogs were the last team in the Eastern League to post a shutout….Martinez has not allowed a hit in his last five innings of work….Carlos Leon extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a fourth-inning single….With Trenton idle on Monday, Portland’s lead in the Northern Division is now 3 1/2 games….In a paper move, pitcher Juan Perez was sent to short-season Lowell to make room on the roster for Elmore. With Casey Fossum headed for the disabled list in Boston, Elmore could find himself back in Pawtucket by the end of the week….Junior Herndon (3-3, 5.08 ERA) opposes Norwich’s Kevin Correia (5-3, 3.31) tonight at 6 p.m.
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