Big Inning Leads to Win

It looked like it was going to be a rain soaked loss this afternoon at Hadlock. That was before the Sea Dogs strung together eight straight hits to start an eighth inning in which they would eventually score 11 runs. The final result was an easy 12-5 victory over the visiting New Hampshire Fisher Cats. David Murphy struck two big blows in the inning, a two-run double to narrow the score to 5-3 in favor of New Hampshire, then a bases loaded triple to give the Dogs a save 11-5 lead. Murphy, who scored the final run on Chad Spann's ground out, had a huge game. The lanky center fielder hit three doubles off the outfield wall and the line drive triple in the right field corner as part of a 5-5 performance in which he scored three runs and knocked in five. Murphy moved into the team lead with 24 RBI on the year.

David Pauley got the start for the Sea Dogs and had another fine performance without his best stuff. He pitched six innings and allowed just two runs on six hits with no walks while striking out five. After Jon Searles gave up three unearned runs in the middle of a heavy downpour, Victor Ramos came in to pitch in a mopup role. Ramos has been struggling on the season, but he pitched two shutout innings and found himself with a win at the end of the day.

Scorer's notes:

• Catcher Curtis Thigpen swung the big bat for the Fisher Cats, hitting a home run over the scoreboard in left-center field in the sixth and collecting a double on the afternoon. The top prospect also threw out two of three would-be base stealers on the afternoon.
• Murphy also flashed some leather in tracking down Chip Cannon's deep sacrifice fly ball in the top of the first innings.
• Brandon Moss is really struggling with the bat. He managed an RBI single during the 8th inning rally and collected a walk, but he also looked bad on three strikeouts during the game. After going down in the 6th, Moss slammed his bat into the ground and broke it into two pieces.
• Pauley coaxed 9 ground ball outs in the game. Most went to Spann, who handled 9 chances at the hot corner. He's a fine fielder, however his throwing error spurred the three-run NH rally in the 7th.
• The temparature dropped more than 10 degrees as the dark clouds rolled in early in the game. Rain was falling by the fourth inning. It was too wet to take any further notes.

Storm's a comin'.