PORTLAND
Chad De La Guerra and Austin Rei came through with clutch two-strike hits as the Portland Sea Dogs rallied for three runs in the eighth inning to beat Trenton, 5-4, in an Eastern League game Sunday at Hadlock Field.
De La Guerra hit a solo home run to right, and Rei drove in the tying and winning runs with a two-out, bases-loaded single that found a hole in shallow left.
Josh Taylor induced a game-ending 6-4-3 double play for his third save in four chances as Portland (28-46) took two of three from the Thunder (42-32).
De La Guerra hit his sixth homer of the season against Trenton reliever Jordan Foley, cutting Trenton’s lead to 4-3.
“I had two strikes on me and I was just trying to be simple and look for something up, and he threw me a fastball inside and I got the barrel to it,” said De La Guerra, who went 4 for 8 with a double, triple and homer in the last two games of the series after a 6-for-57 slump. “Seasons are usually up and down, and I’m just working on being more consistent. I’ve been down a little bit recently, so just working on making things a little more simple.”
Josh Ockimey worked a two-out walk, and Johnny Bladel’s check-swing grounder rolled into short right field off the glove of second baseman Wendell Rijo — a former Sea Dog — allowing the runners to reach second and third. Luke Tendler walked to load the bases.
Rei had struck out in his two previous at-bats, including in the fourth with two runners in scoring position.
“It’s a new at-bat, it’s a new pitcher, a new situation,” Rei said. “It’s a situation you always want to be in. If you don’t want to be in that situation, you’re in the wrong sport. I was pumped that I was able to get up there and do some damage.”
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