Manchester, NH - The Portland Sea Dogs (22-17)(57-50) took down the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (15-20)(51-55) 9-6 on Sunday afternoon, securing their ninth straight series win or tie.
The Sea Dogs hit three home runs in a game for the eighteenth time this season and second time this week. They currently have the third most long balls in the Eastern League. Mason White led the way with two, the first multi-homer game of his minor league career. He has three with the Sea Dogs in 16 games played. Will Turner also hit a home run, his second of the series and thirteenth of the season. Ronald Rosario, a late addition to the lineup, was two-for five with a single and a run scored.
White started the scoring with a solo home run in the second inning. New Hampshire scored in the bottom half to tie it up with an Eric Snow RBI single.
In the third, the Sea Dogs plated four runs. Max Ferguson led off with a triple, and Ahbram Liendo drove him in with an RBI single. Bleis singled to put runners on first and second before Turner drove his three-run shot out of the ballpark to extend the Sea Dogs’ lead to 5-1.
Carter Cunningham led off the bottom half with a solo home run, cutting the lead to 5-2.
The Sea Dogs scored again in the fourth helped out by a throwing error. Ferguson grounded into a forceout and New Hampshire tried to turn a double play, but the throw to first base got away from Cunningham, and White came home to score.
White’s second home run of the day drove in Ronald Rosario and Brooks Brannon in the fifth inning, catapulting the Sea Dogs into a 9-2 lead.
New Hampshire started to chip away after that, as Victor Arias launched a two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth. A passed ball against Rosario in the seventh allowed another Fisher Cats run to score, and the score was 9-5.
RHP Caleb Bolden (3-5, 5.60 ERA) earned the win, allowing three runs on two hits and two walks with two strikeouts in 2.0 innings pitched. RHP Jackson Wentworth (5-7, 4.96 ERA) was tagged with the loss, allowing six runs on six hits and a walk with three strikeouts in 4.0 innings of work. Max Carlson earned his second save of the season.
The Sea Dogs return to Portland for a two-week homestand beginning on Tuesday, August 11 against the Binghamton Rumble Ponies. Tuesday night is Margaritaville Night at the ballpark, with starting pitchers to be announced for both squads. First pitch scheduled for 6:00 pm.