Portland Outlasts Erie in High Scoring Extra-Inning Battle

Erie’s offense couldn’t outlast Portland as the Sea Dogs took down the SeaWolves 11-10 in 10 innings.

Portland broke through first with a pair in the first off Erie starter Wilmer Flores. Flores gave up nothing else in his outing, allowing two runs on four hits with five strikeouts and no walks in four innings.

Erie bounced back in the bottom of the first to tie. Jake Holton tripled home a run and Daniel Cabrera followed with a tying single. In the second, Grant Witherspoon blasted a three-run home run to put Erie ahead 5-2.

Billy Lescher relieved Flores in the fifth and immediately gave up a three-spot. Corey Rosier and Nick Yorke had run-scoring triples and Ceddanne Rafaela singled home the tying run. Rafaela then tried to score on Alex Binelas’ double, but Erie put together a perfect relay to throw him out at home plate.

Erie went back ahead on Trei Cruz’s fifth-inning solo blast. But, Portland struck again. In the span of five batters, Lescher gave up homers to Stephen Scott, Christian Koss, and Corey Rosier, giving Portland an 8-6 lead.

But Erie again tied it when Cruz homered again in the seventh inning. Then, Portland plated two in the eighth on Tyler McDonough’s two-run double.

In the bottom of the eighth, Erie again tied it. Cruz had his fourth hit and fourth RBI of the game, an infield hit that hit the third base bag. Ben Malgeri singled home the tying run, but Cruz was thrown out at third before Josh Crouch could score the go-ahead run.

McDonough doubled again with two out in the 10th inning, scoring the free runner from third against Angel De Jesus. Erie could not convert their free runner in the bottom half.

De Jesus (0-1) took the loss. Ryan Fernandez (1-0) got the win. Erie and Portland finish their series Sunday at 1:35 p.m. Austin Bergner faces Brendan Nail.