Somerset Sinks Sea Dogs, 9-4 to Even Series

Bridgewater, New Jersey - The Portland Sea Dogs (19-16) fall 9-4 to the Somerset Zorros (18-18) on Friday night. With the loss, the series is split at two apiece.

Marcelo Mayer smoked his minor league-leading sixteenth double of the season while going two-for-five at the plate. Mickey Gasper went two-for-four with two RBI. Cody Scroggins pitched a scoreless inning in relief.

Mayer hit a double (16) in the first inning to put one aboard before a single from Nick Yorke would bring him home. Matthew Lugo worked a walk before stealing second base. A single off the bat of Phillip Sikes along with an error issued to the second baseman would allow Lugo to score and extend a 2-0 lead.

In the bottom of the first, DJ LeMahieu singled to second base to allow Spencer Jones to score and Somerset was on the board.

Somerset scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the second to take a 3-2 lead after a pair of errors by the Sea Dogs.

In the bottom of the fifth, Ben Cowles doubled to right field to score Anthony Seigler and double a 4-2 lead. Grant Richardson would bring home Cowles with a two-run homer to right center field to put Somerset up by four. With the bases loaded, J.C. Escarra scored from third on a wild pitch from Alex Hoppe to conclude the four-run inning.

Richardson hit a ground-rule double to left field in the bottom of the seventh to score Cowles. An RBI single from Escarra would drive in Richardson and put Somerset up by seven.

In the bottom of the eighth, Mayer reached second on a fielding error issued to the center fielder before a walk by Lugo would put two on. Gasper drove both of them in with a single to right field but Somerset held the 9-4 lead to secure their second win of the series.

RHP Zach Messinger (2-2, 3.83 ERA) earned the win after pitching 6.0 innings allowing two runs (1 ER) on four hits while walking one and striking out three. RHP Isaac Coffey (0-2, 4.13 ERA) was issued the loss after pitching 4.2 innings allowing seven runs (4 ER) on eight hits while walking three and striking out one.

The Sea Dogs return to TD Bank Ballpark, tomorrow, May 18th, 2024 for game five of a six-game series with the Somerset Patriots. First pitch for game five is slated for 6:05pm. LHP Zach Penrod (2-0, 2.25 ERA) will start for Portland while Somerset will give the ball to RHP Bailey Dees (2-2, 4.41 ERA).