PORTLAND — They call that big wedge of real estate between the white lines, “fair territory”.
But much of what happens there is anything but fair.
Such as the lot that befell Portland Sea Dogs hurler Blake Maxwell, Wednesday, in his start against the Altoona Curve.
Maxwell pitched his guts out for six innings, allowing no runs, and just two hits, and he still got upstaged.
But, this was to be a night for Jeff Locke, Altoona’s starting pitcher and native of North Conway, N.H., whose personal rooting section was said to number about 1,000.
Locke, making his seventh appearance for the West Division leading Curve, hurled the game of his career,
going seven innings, allowing just three hits and a walk.
He fanned eight while throwing just 79 pitches (55 for strikes), and was the pitcher of record in Altoona’s 1-0 win.
Incredibly, Locke got first pitch strikes on 20 of the 24 hitters he faced.
“You don’t plan on a game like this,” said Locke, just as he took a pie in the face from a teammate. “You never expect to go out and do this every night. The fan support was unbelievable tonight.”
Slipping past the fanfare was Maxwell, who has won his first four decisions of the year.
Maxwell allowed the Curve two first inning hits, then set down the last 16 batters he faced.
“You’ve got to give credit to him,” said Altoona catcher Hector Gimenez. “He threw the ball pretty good, and kept us off balance.”
Gimenez, as it turned out, scored the game’s only run, after slugging an eighth inning double off Portland reliever Eamonn Portice.
That was enough to give Locke the win, in front of his appreciative cadre of fans.
“It’s uplifting,” Locke said. “For me, it’s a home game. A home game on the road. You couldn’t explain it any differently than that.”
— Contact Dan Hickling at dhickling@journaltribune.com.
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