As part of their new “Throwback Thursdays” promotion at Hadlock Field, the Portland Sea Dogs wore their black-and-teal uniforms from 1995, when they were a Marlins affiliate.
That ’95 team featured several future big leaguers, including current Sea Dogs manager Billy McMillon.
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WHO: Trenton Thunder (Luis Severino 1-0) at Sea Dogs (Mike McCarthy 1-1)
WHEN: 6 p.m. Friday
The 1995 Trenton Thunder, then a Red Sox affiliate, had one notable prospect – shortstop Nomar Garciaparra.
These 2015 Thunder, now parented by the Yankees, showed off their promising players Thursday, pounding out 13 hits in a 5-0 win over the Sea Dogs at Hadlock Field.
Portland dropped to 5-9 while Trenton, which has many of the Yankees’ best prospects, is 9-5. Everyone in the Trenton lineup reached base, eight of them recording hits.
“Our motto is get to the next guy, knowing the guy behind you can take care of business,” said first baseman Greg Bird, who doubled twice. “A lot of us have played together a while. We have a good team.”
Trenton did all its damage against Portland starter Mike Augliera (0-3), jumping to a 5-0 lead after four innings.
Sea Dogs reliever Jonathan Aro followed and continues to be Portland’s best out of the bullpen. He pitched a perfect 22/3 innings, striking out two.
Aro, 24, was a surprise addition to the Sea Dogs this year, spending most of 2014 in Class A Greenville with only seven appearances at advanced Class A Salem. But Aro had a 1.80 ERA in Salem and the Red Sox challenged him with a Double-A assignment this year.
In four appearances (112/3 innings), Aro has allowed five hits, five walks and one run, striking out 11. He showcased a 91-92 mph fastball and a knee-buckling slider Thursday, dropping his ERA to 0.77.
“What he did last year to this year is kind of the same – he’s a very confident pitcher,” said Sea Dogs pitching coach Kevin Walker, who held the same position with Salem last season.
“He’s got good stuff and he’s a bulldog on the mound. He attacks the zone. He has the ability to really spot a fastball on both sides of the plate, and throw a good slider off it. He’s consistently ahead in counts and puts hitters on the defensive pretty quick.”
Aro threw 25 pitches, 21 of them for strikes.
Dayan Diaz came in after Aro and threw two scoreless innings (two hits), lowering his ERA to 1.23.
While the relievers kept Portland close, the Sea Dogs did little on offense, with six hits and only two runners reaching third base.
Trenton starter Caleb Smith (1-2) and two relievers combined to record 14 strikeouts.
NOTES: The announced paid attendance was 3,679. … Catcher/first baseman Michael Brenly is now officially a switch hitter after adding a left-handed swing to his repertoire. “It’s something I used to mess around with, more out of fun than anything else,” Brenly said. “I’m feeling better over there.” It’s working. Brenly is batting .294 overall and .300 left-handed. … Reed Gragnani reached base four times on a single, walk, hit by pitch and a wild pitch on a third strike.
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