August 12, 2012

Sea Dogs' road trip ends with rainout

The final game of Portland's series at Erie is called off because of rain and won't be rescheduled.

By DUANE RANKIN Special to the Press Herald

ERIE, Pa. - After dropping two games to the Erie SeaWolves, the Portland Sea Dogs wish they could've started their long bus ride back home celebrating a win.

COMING UP

TUESDAY-THURSDAY: Altoona at Sea Dogs

FRIDAY-SUNDAY: New Britain at Sea Dogs

Mother Nature didn't grant them that opportunity.

The finale of the three-game series was called off five minutes before its scheduled 1:35 p.m. start Sunday. A steady morning rain left several noticeable puddles in the infield at Jerry Uht Park.

"Talking with the umpires and the other staff, nothing showed up on the radar," Portland Manager Kevin Boles said. "Still isn't anything on the radar, but there is rain."

Because the two teams don't play each other the rest of the season, the game will not be made up. Portland (55-65) went 3-2 against Erie (53-66) but dropped the final two.

"We wanted a chance to take a game and not take a three-game sweep and go home on a good note," Portland second baseman Ryan Dent said. "We didn't get the opportunity, but it happens."

Sea Dogs Manager Kevin Boles said he wasn't too concerned about the two losses.

"There are a lot of positive areas," Boles said. "We came back. We were able to fight back in the games. Erie is pretty tough in its ballpark, obviously, with that lineup and the way the ballpark is set up here. We had a challenge here."

The Sea Dogs have a day off before opening a three-game series Tuesday against Altoona. Right-hander Brandon Workman, who was set to make his Sea Dogs debut Sunday after being called up from Class A Salem, will get the start Tuesday.

"There were going be nerves there either way, whether it was home or on the road," Boles said. "Obviously our fans get to watch him. He's an exciting arm in our organization, but the home fans get to see him for the first time. I think they'll be thrilled to see him."

Portland will have two days to think about its two losses to Erie, with the latter one being the most disheartening. The Sea Dogs erased a 4-1 first-inning deficit, but reliever Brock Huntzinger (3-5) gave up a walk-off home run to Daniel Fields in Saturday's 5-4 loss.

Now the Sea Dogs head back to Hadlock Field, where they're 13-4 since the Eastern League All-Star break.

"We've been playing well lately so I think we need to just stay on the path we're going on right now," Portland third baseman Marquez Smith said.

 

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