There was little to like about the 10-3 thumping the Portland Sea Dogs absorbed from the Harrisburg Senators on Sunday before 7,104 at Hadlock Field.
The hitting (save for three “excuse me” runs in the eighth), the defense (three errors), and the pitching (which gave up a season-high 17 hits) all left something to be desired.
“We just didn’t show up for some reason,” said Sea Dogs’ second baseman Nate Spears.
Matters started poorly for the Sea Dogs when Harrisburg’s second hitter, Marvin Lowrance, tagged Portland starter Jeremy Kehrt (2-8) for a solo home run.
Kehrt was touched for another run in the second. He departed after the fifth with the Dogs trailing 5-0.
Portland Manager Arnie Beyeler felt that Kehrt, who allowed 12 hits and two walks, deserved a slightly better fate.
“Jeremy got a lot of ground balls,” said Beyeler, “and we didn’t help him defensively. We had some plays to make and we didn’t. They got about 10 ground ball hits, and any time you do that, your (pitchers) are doing their jobs.”
Lowrance greeted reliever Eammon Portice in the sixth by slugging his second home run of the day, which made it 6-0.
Portland trailed 10-0 heading into the bottom of the eighth, when it did all of its scoring.
“It was just one of those days,” said Beyeler. “They showed up a little better than we did today. Guys looked like they were going through the motions.”
NOTES: RHP Casey Kelly will not be the Dogs’ starter tonight in Binghamton, as had been previously announced. “Just getting a day off,” said Kelly, who nicked up a fingernail during his previous outing. It’s not uncommon for the Red Sox to have their young pitching prospects skip an occasional start as the season grinds on. …
Sunday’s induction of Andre Dawson into the Baseball Hall of Fame brought back memories of a visit by “the Hawk” to Hadlock Field on June 29, 2000. It came during an exhibition game between the Sea Dogs and the Florida Marlins, Portland’s former big league parent. Dawson, a right-handed power hitter, didn’t play in the contest, but did take part in the pre-game home run derby, and he put on a show. Another future Hall member, Tony Perez, also took part. …
Dawson might not have made it to the Hall if he had faced Sea Dogs’ pitching coach Bob Kipper every day. Dawson went 0 for 12 against Kipper, then a Pittsbugh Pirate lefty, over a six-year span. “I didn’t know it was 0 for 12,” said Kipper. “I knew I had some success against him. But there’s no rhyme or reason for it. (I) was well aware of who he was, but you have to be willing to attack the strike zone. That’s the message we send our young guys here.”
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