Britton Fires Five No-Hit Innings In Double-A Debut

Britton Fires Five No-Hit Innings In Double-A Debut

Butler 2-4 with HR

Portland, ME - Drake Britton tossed five no-hit innings in his Double-A debut as the Portland Sea Dogs (24-33) defeated the Bowie Baysox (23-33) 6-1 Tuesday night at Hadlock Field.

Britton (1-0) entered the 2012 season ranked as the Red Sox #16 prospect, according to Baseball America.  On Monday he was named the Carolina League Pitcher of the Week. The 23-year-old lefty was impressive in his Double-A debut hurling five no-hit innings.  He walked six, a career high, and notched two strikeouts.  Britton retired eight of the last nine batters he faced.  His fastball topped out at 95 MPH as he tossed 88 pitches/ 46 for strikes.

Will Latimer relieved Britton in the sixth yielding a lead-off single to Robbie Widlansky to break-up the no-hitter.

The Sea Dogs offense went to work in the bottom of the third.  Nick Natoli walked, Jeremy Hazelbaker had a bunt single and Oscar Tejeda broke out of a 0-for-5 slump since returning from the disabled list with a RBI single to give the Sea Dogs a 1-0 lead.  Juan Carlos Linares singled to extend his hit streak to eight games loading the bases.  Reynaldo Rodriguez drew a bases loaded walk off Tim Bascom (3-4) to force home a run extending the Portland lead to 2-0.

Linares and Rodriguez hit back-to-back doubles in the fifth making it 3-0 Portland.

In the sixth Dan Butler doubled and scored on a Derrick Gibson triple.  Gibson scooted home on a wild pitch as the Sea Dogs took a commanding 5-0 lead.

Bowie was able to scratch across a run in the eighth when Rhyne Hughes delivered a RBI single to score Manny Machado.

Butler swatted his third home run of the season in the eighth inning.

Aaron Kurcz closed out the game for the Sea Dogs in the ninth.

The two teams will continue the series Tuesday night at 7:00 PM.  The Sea Dogs will send right-handed pitcher Stolmy Pimentel (1-2, 5.04) to the mound.  Bowie will counter with righty Bobby Bundy (2-7, 5.06).  The first 1,000 fans to enter the ballpark will receive a Josh Beckett bobblehead doll, made possible by U.S. Cellular.  Tickets are available and can be purchased by calling the Sea Dogs Ticket Office at 207-879-9500 or online at www.seadogs.com.