HARRISBURG 4-3 PORTLAND 5-0
by Chip Millard
The Harrisburg Senators split a doubleheader with the Portland Sea Dogs today on City Island, losing the opener 5-4 but coming back to win the nightcap 3-0. The Senators very nearly swept the twin-bill, but a late Portland rally in the first game prevented the hosts achieving that feat.
In Game 1, Harrisburg jumped out to a 3-0 lead after one inning, using softly-hit singles by Melvin Dorta, Robert Fick, and Frank Diaz and a key Portland error to mount the uprising. The visitors answered with a run in the top of the 2nd but the Senators regained a 3 run advantage in the bottom of the 4th on a Kory Casto double (on a well-hit ball to LF that still probably should have been caught) and a Tony Blanco infield single (on a hard-hit ball to SS that took a funny hop and was probably correctly called a hit). Harrisburg starter Kip Bouknight pitched 6 strong innings and gave way to closer Roy Corcoran at the beginning of the 7th (and final) inning with the score still 4-1. However, Corcoran suffered a meltdown, partly not his fault/partially self-induced, and the Sea Dogs struck for 4 runs in the top of the 7th inning. Portland loaded the bases on a single, hit batter, and a tough error on SS Ian Desmond (on a ball that 3B Kory Casto probably should fielded and Desmond then fumbled) and Corcoran then gave up a grand slam on a long homer to CF to Brandon Moss, who was hitting .193 entering the day. The Senators got their leadoff man on a single in the bottom of the 7th, but a failed sacrifice bunt, a failed stolen base attempt, and a strikeout quickly ended the threat and the game.
In Game 2, Harrisburg again scored in the 1st inning, plating a run on a Dan Dement single, 2 walks, and a deep sacrifice fly to CF by Kory Casto. They did not score any more runs however despite having a bases loaded/1 out situation after the Casto RBI. It ultimately didn’t matter though as it turned out to be the only run starter Oscar Alvarez needed; Alvarez pitched 6 excellent innings, allowing only 1 hit and 1 other runner to reach base (on an error by Game 2 SS Melvin Dorta). Nonetheless, the Senators tacked on 2 more runs in the 4th inning on a Rich Lane triple and a Salomon Manriquez home run to left field. Harrisburg could have had even more runs in the 6th, but left the bases loaded. Portland wasn’t able to replicate their Game 1 magic though, as Devin Perrin closed out the game in the 7th inning, allowing only a leadoff single.
General game notes:
- Despite some rain that passed through the Harrisburg area around lunchtime, the doubleheader started at the scheduled 1:05 PM start time.
- The Senators are showing themselves to be a very solid team defensively. They don’t have that many defensive standouts, but they also don’t have any real sieves in the field either.
- In Game 1, the 1st base umpire (who was the home plate umpire in Game 2) made a bad call in the middle of the game on a fly ball to CF by Jesus Feliciano. Tony Blanco was at 1st base, went halfway to 2nd on the fly ball, and had to scramble back to 1st after the ball was caught. He got back in time (to my eyes), but the ump called him out. Ian Desmond then followed with a single that should have at worst created a 1st and 2nd with 1 out situation.
Individual Harrisburg Senators player notes:
- Kory Casto - went a combined 2 for 4 in the 2 games with a double and run scored in the 1st game and a single, RBI, and 2 sacrifices in the 2nd game. He was mediocre with the glove, failing to make a couple plays that an above-average 3rd baseman would probably make. Casto is now hitting an even .300 with a .391 OBP and .517 SLG, excellent numbers for a non-1st baseman/corner outfielder.
- Frank Diaz - finished a combined 1 for 3 with 2 walks in the 2 games, with a single, walk, sacrifice bunt (on a play he was trying to bunt for a hit but did move up 2 runners), and RBI in the 1st game and an intentional walk in the 2nd game. He did have a poor at-bat early in the second game, popping up to 1st base with runners at 2nd and 3rd and 1 out in the 1st inning. Diaz again looked very smooth in CF; he appears to usually get a good jump on the ball. Diaz is now hitting .343 for the season and has a .366 OBP and a 522 SLG.
- Salomon Manriquez - played only in Game 2, and went 1 for 3 with the previously mentioned 2-run homer. On the negative side he also struck out twice with the bases loaded and 2 outs. Manriquez failed to catch a couple of fairly easy pitches but no one was on base when those minor miscues occurred. He is now hitting a lusty .385 with a .405 OBP and a spectacular 641 SLG.
- Ian Desmond - played only in Game 1, finishing 1 for 3 with 1 strikeout. His batting average continues to hover near the Mendoza Line (.204). Fielding-wise, he made a very nice play on what turned into a 6-3 double-play that ended a Portland rally in the middle of the game, but also committed a tough error that in part allowed the Sea Dogs to rally in the final inning.
- Robert Fick - went a combined 2 for 6 in the doubleheader, scoring a run in Game 1 and also drawing a walk in Game 2. He caught Game 1 and was the DH in Game 2 as part of his rehab assignment and had a passed ball when he was behind the plate.
- Tony Blanco - only played in Game 1, going 2 for 2 with a walk and RBI as the DH as part of his rehab assignment.
- Alex Escobar - started in LF in both games as part of his rehab assignment and went a combined 1 for 5, scoring a run after reaching on an error in Game 1 and getting a single and a walk in Game 2. He also played a very solid LF.
- Kip Bouknight - pitched 6 solid innings in Game 1, giving up 1 earned run on 3 hits, 1 walk, and 2 hit batters while striking out 4 men. He managed to get through a few minor jams largely unscathed. Bouknight lowered his ERA to 2.70.
- Oscar Alvarez - as noted above, he pitched an excellent 6 innings in Game 2, giving up only 1 hit and striking out 3 Portland batters. He put down a minor uprising in his final inning of work after starting to give up some harder hit balls. Alvarez’ ERA is now 2.57.
- Devin Perrin - pitched 1 inning in Game 2, giving up 1 hit while getting the save, his first as a Harrisburg Senator. Perrin is sporting an excellent 1.12 ERA in 5 appearances and 8 innings, having given up 5 hits and 2 walks while striking out 8 batters so far this season.