Dogs Salvage a W

Maybe this will help the Sea Dogs turn the corner again. After wasting two terrific starting pitching performances on Friday and Saturday, Portland brought out the bats to win a 10-6 slugfest vs. the Navigators and salvage the final game of the brief road trip to Norwich. Now they return to Portland to face the Altoona Curve for a three game series. Winners of only two of their last 10 games, the Sea Dogs find themselves half a game behind Trenton for first place in the EL North.

Charlie Zink started for the Sea Dogs in place of Jon Papelbon. According to manager Todd Claus (as told to the Portland Press Herald), the team wanted to give Papelbon a little extra rest and allow him to work with minor league pitching instructor Al Nipper. Papelbon looked a bit uncomforable in his last start on Tuesday evening, so hopefully this move nips any problems in the bud.

It's close, but Papelbon is now the second-best (statistically speaking) pitcher on the staff this season

14 GS, 82.1 IP, 5-1, 2.51 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 84 K, 29 BB, 5 HR Jon Lester
13 GS, 81.0 IP, 4-2, 2.67 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 73 K, 22 BB, 9 HR Jon Papelbon

Papelbon has the edge in WHIP and K/BB (3.31 vs. 2.90), as well as innings/start, but Lester has really come on strong over the last couple of months. Papelbon's home run rate is really what's making his ERA higher than Lester's at this point. Neither Lester nor Papelbon has gotten a great deal of support from the offense or the bullpen, as both could easily have 8 or 9 wins at the moment.