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Rock Cats Fall Short Against Sea Dogs

April 23, 2012 - Eastern League (EL1)
New Britain Rock Cats News Release


NEW BRITAIN, CT - New Britain pounded out 10 hits but couldn't get the hits that mattered the most as Portland downed the Rock Cats, 5-3 on Monday night.

The first-place Rock Cats (12-6) were just 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position against the last-place Sea Dogs (5-14). Manager Jeff Smith said that was what hurt the team the most.

"It's just one of those games where situational hitting kind of let us down tonight," said Smith. "We swung the bat all right when we weren't in scoring position but the key at-bats with the guy at third base with one out and we pressed a little bit."

The Sea Dogs struck first with a run in the fourth inning. Ryan Dent and Kolbrin Vitek started the inning off with consecutive singles. Reynaldo Rodriguez then hit into a double playthat allowed Dent to move to third with two outs. Oscar Tejeda then lined a single into right field to plate Dent for the first run of the game.

The Rock Cats answered back in the bottom of the inning. Aaron Hicks delivered a one-out single. With Deibinson Romero at the plate, the Sea Dogs' Chris Hernandez attempted to pick off Hicks at first but his throwing error allowed Hicks to move all the way to third. Romero then knocked in Hicks with a sacrifice fly to right to tie the game, 1-1.

In the fifth, Portland regained the lead on a two-run double by Jeremy Hazelbaker. The Sea Dogs tacked on two more runs in the sixth, including an RBI double by Ronald Bermudez, to take a 5-1 lead.

The Rock Cats refused to go quietly just as they have all season. In the bottom of the sixth, Chris Colabello started off the inning by reaching base safely on a fielding error by Dent at shortstop. With one out, Romero lined a single into left that knocked Hernandez from the game. The Sea Dogs called on reliever Aaron Kurcz, who walked Pedro Florimon to load the bases. Nate Hanson then lined a double into right field to plate Colabello and Romero and close the gap, 5-3.

In the seventh, the `Cats made some more noise when Chris Herrmann led off with a double and Evan Bigley followed with a single, but the runners were once again left stranded in scoring position.

"Four times we had the guy at third with one out and couldn't get any of those runs home," said Smith "That's the difference in the game."

Hernandez (1-0) picked up the win with 5 1/3 effective innings, scattering six hits while limiting the Rock Cats to one earned run.

Rock Cats starter Steve Hirschfeld (2-1) suffered the loss after being struck for five runs on eight hits and three walks in 5 2/3 innings.

ALLSTATE PLAYER OF THE GAME: DH Nate Hanson (1-for-4) delivered a two-run double in the bottom of the sixth to bring the Rock Cats to within two runs.

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