Rey-Rod and Spring Power 'Dogs to 8-5 Win

Rey-Rod and Spring Power 'Dogs to 8-5 Win


Ranaudo tosses four solid innings in Double-A debut


Portland, Maine - The Portland Sea Dogs (14-24) plated five runs in the second inning and held on to defeat the Reading Phillies (22-15) 8-5 Tuesday night at First Energy Stadium. The win marked the second in a row, and locked up the first series win for the 'Dogs over the Phils' in 2012.

Trailing 1-0, the Sea Dogs opened up the second inning with three straight hits, including two homeruns. Reynaldo Rodriguez hooked the first pitch of the inning from Drew Naylor around the left field foul pole to tie the game at 1-1.

Two hitters later it was Matt Spring that put Portland out in front for good with a two run dinger that plated Bryce Brentz. Naylor (2-1) allowed two more runs to score in the frame. Derrik Gibson scored an unearned run on Kolbrin Vitek's fielder's choice and Heiker Meneses crossed home on an Oscar Tejeda ground out to the right side. Kolbrin Vitek doubled home another run in the fourth to extend Portland's lead to 6-1.

Portland activated right-handed pitcher Anthony Ranaudo shortly before the game and sent him to the mound for his Double-A debut. The tall righty gave up a run in the first, before his offense backed him with five in the second. Ranaudo pitched a scoreless second and third innings before he ran into trouble in the fourth.

Reading mirrored the Sea Dogs' second and picked up three runs via a leadoff homerun by Sebastian Valle, followed by a two run homer off the bat of Miguel Abreu two batters later. The top pitching prospect in the Red Sox organization finished his outing after the fourth. He allowed the four runs on four hits, walked three, and struck out two.

Reading pulled to within one at 6-5 with a run in the fifth off of Jeremy Kerht, but that was all the Phillies' offense would muster against the 'Dogs bullpen. Kehrt (1-0) delivered four tremendous innings in relief of Ranaudo. He gave up the one run on three hits, walked one, and struck out two.

In the late innings, it was Tejeda that drove home Portland's final two runs on an RBI double to center in the eighth to push the lead to 8-5. Caleb Clay closed out the ninth and earned his third save of the season.

Prime Motor Group Player of the Game: Jeremy Kehrt W, 4IP, 3H, 1R, 1ER, 1BB, 2K

The Sea Dogs wrap up a seven game road trip on Wednesday with a 11:35 PM game against the Reading Phillies from FirstEnergy Stadium in Reading, Pennsylvania. The Portland Sea Dogs will send lefty Chris Hernandez (2-2, 2.11) to the mound. Reading will counter with righty Trevor May (5-2, 2.83). The Sea Dogs can be heard on the U.S. Cellular Sea Dogs radio network with 95.5/95.9 FM WPEI serving as the flagship station.

The Sea Dogs return to Hadlock Field May 18-20 for a three game series with the Binghamton Mets. Tickets are available for all remaining 2012 Sea Dogs' home games. Book your nine inning vacation by calling the Sea Dogs Ticket Office at 207-879-9500 or log on to www.seadogs.com.