Recent Callup Earns W

The new kid done good in a 5-3 Sea Dogs victory over Trenton on Wednesday afternoon. Jarrett Gardner allowed three first inning runs, including Aaron Rifken's 9th homer on the season, before settling down and allowing three hits over his final four innings pitched. In his AA debut, Gardner outdueled Taiwanese bonus baby Chien-ming Wang, he of the 95-mph fastball and reputedly nasty stuff. The fact that Wang, who is 24 years old and currently sporting a 4.99 while repeating AA, is a top Yankee pitching prospect appears to say volumes about the Empire's minor league system.

Gardner walked one and struck out two. The balanced offense was led by two hits from Bret Ronenberg and two RBI from Kenny Perez. The Sea Dogs now return to Portland to host the New Britain Rock Cats (again!), with a chance to move back ahead of the Cats and out of the EL North Cellar.