PORTLAND — They’d been absent from Hadlock Field for seven long months, so the Portland Sea Dogs figured they’d give the crowd of 5,654 that joined them for the home opener a little extra something to watch.
Unfortunately, they stayed one inning too long.
A two run blast by Trenton left fielder Damon Sublett in the top of the 11th inning spoiled the Dogs’ homecoming, sending them to a 4-2 setback.
“I was just looking to have a good ”˜AB’,” said Sublett, who had been hitting just .133 before turning on a Ryne Lawson fastball. “I hadn’t been having good at bats all night. I was just looking to help the team
out and I hit the ball hard.”
Portland scuffled all night trying to stay in the game.
The Thunder cobbled together a 2-0 lead off Dogs’ starter Kyle Weiland, then replied with single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to tie the contest, 2-2.
A two-out double by Jose Iglesias got Portland started. He promptly scored when Jason Place’s hard smash proved to be too hot for second baseman
Iglesias’ wall-rattling double was the first hit for Portland off Thunder starter Jeremy Bleich.
Weiland, who fanned six whle surrendering three walks and four hits, said he slipped into a groove early in the contest.
“It was definitely an outing in the right direction,” said Weiland, who played his college ball at Notre Dame. “I came into this start, focusing on establishing my off season (pitches). I didn’t have that in
my last start.”
Portland relievers Andrew Dobies threw a combined five innings of scoreless, one hit ball.
In the bottom of the 10th, Portland had the bases loaded with two away, but couldn’t push across the winning run off Thunder reliever Eric Wordekemper.
Then, in the top of the 11th, after Brandon Laird had singled off Ryne Lawson with two away, Sublett dealt Portland what proved to be the crushing blow.
“It was a good ball game,” said Portland manager Arnie Beyeler. “But they got the big hit, late.”
CHIN MUSIC: Returning utilityman John Still remains away from the club while dealing with what Beyeler called “personal issues”. In the interim, Still has been placed on the temporary inactive list. “We’ll know when things break,” said Beyeler”¦The teams will resume their four-game set tonight (6 p.m.), weather permitting. Stephen Fife (0-0, 3.60) is slated to throw against Trenton’s David Phelps (1-0, 1.59) in a clash of right handers.
— Contact Dan Hickling at dhickling@journaltribune.com.
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