Printer-friendly version Reader Comments

The Sea Dogs again fail to capitalize at the plate, falling 2-0 to close an abysmal series at Reading.

By JERRY REIMENSCHNEIDER, Special to the Press Herald July 31, 2009

READING, Pa. — So close. So often.

So frustrating.

Such has been the story of the Portland Sea Dogs' 2009 season.

"We've been one hit away, one pitch away, one play away all year," Sea Dogs Manager Arnie Beyeler said. "That's why we're a .500 team."

Actually, a slightly sub-.500 team after yet another if-only loss Thursday night at Reading.

Right-hander Vance Worley gave up three hits through six innings, then Scott Mathieson and Sergio Escalona provided three innings of perfect relief to again beat the Sea Dogs, 2-0.

How maddening was the four-game series? Portland outscored Reading 20-13, yet lost 3 of 4.

"They minimized our bats pretty well all series," Beyeler said, "except for that one game."

That one game, the Sea Dogs' 12-1 win on Tuesday, was the only one without many missed opportunities.

Thursday, however, was the same old story. One swing here. One good pitch there.

While Worley for the most part cruised – posting 1-2-3 innings in the second, third and sixth – Portland let him off the hook against the heart of its order in the first and the fifth.

After Josh Reddick led off the game with a double, Worley walked hot-hitting Ryan Kalish before getting the 3-4-5 hitters on consecutive outfield flies.

Among those Worley retired was Sea Dogs cleanup man Jon Still, who the night before had set a Red Sox franchise record for RBI in July. Still needed to drive in just one more to set the overall franchise mark for single-month RBI, but flied out three times against Worley and struck out in the ninth against Escalona.

Still will have one more shot to set the one-month RBI record tonight at Harrisburg.

Worley's niftiest escape, however, came in the fifth. Sea Dogs right fielder Reid Engel led off with a double before Worley walked Iggy Suarez.

But Portland (50-54) again whiffed on its opportunity. Worley fanned Reddick and Kalish in order to maintain the shutout.

Reddick was in the midst of an 8-for-13 streak before his strikeout, and Kalish entered with a 10-game hitting streak during which he was batting .375. Kalish finished 0 for 3.