Trenton blanks the Sea Dogs on Sunday 2-0

Portland had just 3 hits, Joe Gunkel fans 7 

Trenton, New Jersey - The Trenton Thunder (27-24) scored two runs in the third inning and had a 3-hit combined shutout, beating the Sea Dogs (22-29) 2-0 on Sunday afternoon at Arm & Hammer Park.

The Sea Dogs dropped 2 of 3 in the series, but finished the roadtrip at 3-3, and 15-16 in May.

 Brady Lail (3-2) earned the win for the Thunder, tossing 5 innings on one hit and one walk. Lail threw only 51 pitches in his third start of the year against Portland.  Kyle Haynes fired the final 4 innings to earn his first save of the season. Haynes yielded 2 hits and walked one.

 Joe Gunkel (2-1) suffered the loss for Portland, allowing 2 runs on hits over 5 IP.  The righty established a season-high with 7 strikeouts, one shy of tying a career mark.

 The Thunder struck with two outs in the third inning, receiving a single by Cito Culver as the rally starter. Following a Jake Cave walk, Ali Castillo lined an RBI single, but on the play, a throwing error by RF Aneury Tavarez enabled Cave to score.

 Portland had a golden opportunity to score in the seventh inning, receiving back-to-back singles from Jantzen Witte and Oscar Tejeda. Kyle Hanyes retired the next three to work out of the jam.

Jorge Marban (2 IP) escaped a huge jam in Trenton's half of the seventh. The Thunder put runners at first and third with nobody out, but Marban retired Cave, Castillo and Aaron Judge.

 In the eighth, Simon Mercedes walked three, but fanned Cuvler to end the threat.  Portland put the first two on in the ninth, but Haynes induced a double play and a ground to end the game.

The Sea Dogs are off on Monday and open up a six-game homestand on Tuesday night at Hadlock Field against the Richmond Flying Squirrels (Giants affiliate), first pitch is 7:00 PM. RHP Justin Haley (1-6, 5.70) makes his 10th start of the season for Portland. Richmond counters with RHP Joe Biagini (3-3, 1.53).  Pre-Game coverage begins at 6:40 PM on the U.S. Cellular Sea Dogs Radio Network.  MILB.TV begins at 6:55 PM.


Tickets are still available for all Sea Dogs remaining home games as well as the Sullivan Tire Eastern League All-Star Classic on July 15th. Call the ticket office at 207-879-9500 or purchase at seadogs.com.