Slugger’s Day…Portland wraps up series in Binghamton
Sunday is all about Slugger the Sea Dog, the team mascot celebrating his 20th birthday this year. In honor of this historical season, his trainer Justin LeBlanc had a plan — go big or go home. Today, Slugger begins a 114-mile walk from Fenway Park to Hadlock Field. Slugger is doing this all for Tourette’s Syndrome.
The official kick-off begins at 12 PM at Fenway Park prior to the Sox/Athletics game. Slugger is scheduled to arrive at Hadlock Field on Thursday night, May 8th, just in time for the Sea Dogs homestand opener against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats.
Terrific article from the Portland Press Herald tells the whole story.
More on Slugger from our terrific media
Pre-Game begins at 12:45 PM on 95.9/95.5 and the U.S. Cellular Sea Dogs Radio Network…Listen online at seadogs.com.
Pre-Game Interview: All about Slugger
Portland lineup: Betts 4, Marrero 6, Shaw 3, Rivero DH, Swihart 2, Ramos 9, Meneses 5, Hissey 7, Wilkerson 8, McCarthy RHP (1–2, 6.10)
Binghamton: Ceciliani 8, Burgamy 5, Reynolds 6, Clark DH, Plawecki 2, Vaughn 9, Boyd 3, Lawley 7, Tovar 4, Lara RHP (2–0, 3.86)
A few notes today…Full Game Notes at seadogs.com
LOOKING FOR THE SPLIT: The Sea Dogs snapped a three-game losing streak by winning game two of yesterday’s doubleheader…Portland can manage a split of the four-game series with a win this afternoon in the series finale…The ‘Dogs are 1–3 in series finales and have not lost a road series this season…RHP Mike McCarthy (1–2) is coming off six scoreless frames in his previous outing and makes his fifth start (sixth appearance) for Portland…RHP Rainy Lara makes his first career appearance against Portland.
AND YESTERDAY WAS A SPLIT: LHP Henry Owens (3–2) tossed a complete game in the twinbill opener, but uncorked a wild pitch in the sixth, enabling the winning run to score in Binghamton’s 3–2 win…In game two, Portland clobbered 13 hits to win 9–3…LHP Brian Johnson tossed 5.1 innings on three hits and two unearned runs to notch the win in his Double-A debut…Deven Marrero and Carlos Rivero each homered in the game two…Travis Shaw went 5-for-7 with 2 RBI and 3 doubles in the doubleheader…Mookie Betts had hits in both games and Shannon Wilkerson finished the day 3-for-6, 2 RBI.
MOOKIE MADNESS:Betts went 3-for-9 with an RBI in yesterday’s doubleheader…The Tennessee native has reached base safely in all 25 Double-A starts (14 multi-hit games)…The first-year Sea Dog has reached base safely in 55 straight regular season games dating back to August 2, 2013, but 60 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’ .406 average is the highest in Minor League Baseball (more on Page 2).
MORE ON THE LEFTIES: Owens earned his league-leading second complete game in the opener…Over six innings, Owens yielded six hits, three runs, one walk and fanned six…Johnson did not issue a walk and fanned three, throwing 61 of 94 pitches for strikes.
TRAVIS LIKES NEW YORK: Shaw entered this series with one double, but is 7-for-10, 3 RBI and 4 doubles in the last three games…His .304 average is the highest of the season, and he has collected a multi-hit game in four his last five starts.
THAT WAS EASY: RHP Jose Valdez was the only reliever used for the Sea Dogs on Saturday…Valdez worked 1.2 innings on four hits, one unearned run, one walk and fanned two…The run allowed by the righty was the first in six games with Portland.
