Oh what a night at Hadlock Field
The Sea Dogs return home after a 4–3 roadtrip, and open up a four-game series against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Blue Jays affiliate) at Hadlock Field. Tonight features an amazing game one pitching match-up, as Top Pitching Prospects face-off. LHP Henry Owens (3–2, 3.89) looks to snap a two-game losing streak against New Hampshire’s RHP Aaron Sanchez (1–1, 2.55). Owens is the #2 overall prospect behind Xander Bogaerts, but Sanchez is the #1 overall prospect in Toronto’s system — this is all according to Baseball America.
Tonight is the NFL Draft and it couldn’t have worked out better for tonight’s special first pitch. New England Patriots RB Shane Vereen will toss out the first pitch and sign autographs.
Tweet from the Pats RB earlier
Shane Vereen @ShaneVereen34
Throwing out the first pitch tonight at the Portland Sea Dogs game!!! … This could get interesting
Make sure to follow Slugger on Twitter (@Slugger_SeaDog) for his blog and his journey from Fenway Park to Hadlock Field…Slugger arrived today. We’re so proud of him.
Carlos Guevara of X-Factor Season 3 will be on hand to welcome Slugger back.
Let’s not forget Mookie Madness — Betts homered yesterday and has reached base safely in 59 straight regular season games dating back to August 2, 2013, but 64 including last year’s Carolina League playoffs.
(MORE ON MOOKIE) Betts is a nephew of Terry Shumpert, who played parts of 14 seasons with the Kansas City Royals, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres,Colorado Rockies, Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
Betts has attributed his nickname Mookie to his parents watching former NBA guard Mookie Blaylock play basketball shortly after Betts was born. Betts has stated he has never met Blaylock.
Pre-Game begins at 5:40 OM on 95.9/95.5 and the U.S. Cellular Sea Dogs Radio Network…Listen online at seadogs.com.
Pre-Game Interview:
Portland lineup: Betts 4, Marrero 6, Shaw DH, Welch 3, Swihart 2, Ramos 8, Meneses 5, Gibson 7, Wilkerson 9, Owens LH (3–2, 3.89)
New Hampshire: Berti 4, Burns 5, Jimenez 2, Glenn 9, Crouse 7, Jacobo 3, Nolan 6, Van Kirk DH, Jones 8, Sanchez RH (1–1, 2.55)
Game Notes for today…Complete Notes at seadogs.com
FIRST OF A FEW: Tonight the Sea Dogs open up a four-game weekend series against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Blue Jays affiliate) — the first of 22 meetings between the East Coast rivals…Portland returns home after a 4–3 roadtrip, and has not lost a road series this season (3–0–3)…Last year, the Sea Dogs won the season-series from New Hampshire, taking 13 of 24 and six of 10 at Hadlock Field…LHP Henry Owens has lost two straight starts, giving up nine runs in his last 11 IP.
DECIDED IN THE SIXTH: Reading scored six runs in the sixth inning to beat the Sea Dogs, 8–3, on Wednesday morning at FirstEnergy Stadium…Portland’s runs came on two solo-homers by Henry Ramos and Mookie Betts’ big fly to lead-off the game…Ramos’ homers were the first 2 in Double-A…Reading had five players with a multi-hit game, receiving a two-run homer by Lars Davis and 2 RBI from Aaron Altherr…LHP Hoby Milner tossed seven strong innings on six hit and two runs to earn the win…Derrik Gibson and Heiker Meneses each had two hits in the loss.
#MOOKIE MADNESS:Betts went 1-for-4 with his fifth homer of the season in the roadtrip finale…The Tennessee native has reached base safely in all 29 Double-A starts (16 multi-hit games)…The first-year Sea Dog has reached base safely in 59 straight regular season games dating back to August 2, 2013, but 64 including last year’s Carolina League playoffs…His 17-game hitting streak from April 9–30 was the longest since OF Bret Ronenberg’s 18-game hitting streak from April 27-May 15, 2004…Betts’ .402 average is the highest in Minor League Baseball…he’s also reached safely in 123 of his last 133 games (dating back to May 5, 2013).
BIG SHOCKER: Betts was named the Eastern League Player of the Month on Tuesday after leading Minor League Baseball with a .430 average in April…He’s the 12th player in franchise history to win the award and the first since OF Juan Carlos Linares took home the honors last August…On Monday, RHP Mike McCarthy was named the Eastern League Pitcher of the Week, going 2–0, 0.00 ERA in 2 starts.
OH HENRY:Yesterday was the second career multi-homer game for Ramos, and the first by a Sea Dog since Linares blasted two homers against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats on August 26…Ramoshas hit safely in 17 of his last 19 games: 29-for-74 (.392), 2 HR, 15 RBI, triple and 5 doubles.
