ANDERSON'S 3 RUN BLAST POWERS DOGS

1B Lars Anderson (2-for-4, HR, 3 RBI) launched a 3-run homer over the Sea Dogs’ bullpen in the bottom of the eighth inning, rallying the Sea Dogs past the Trenton Thunder, 4-3 on Saturday night in front of a sellout crowd of 7,368 at Hadlock Field.
Anderson’s homer came on a 2-2 pitch off losing pitcher RHP Kanekoa Texeira (5-3) and Portland behind 3-1.

LHP Andrew Dobies (1-0), who missed all of last season due to injury, hurled a scoreless eighth to pick up the win. Dobies was assigned to Portland right before the start of the game from Single-A Salem when RHP Bryce Cox was transferred to the Lowell roster. RHP T.J. Large worked a scoreless ninth to convert his fifth save in as many opportunities.

The Sea Dogs clinched a winning homestand at 4-2 and play the rubber game of their 3-game set with Trenton on Sunday afternoon.

LHP Felix Doubront made the start for Portland and fell behind 3-0 after two innings. The Thunder scored twice with two outs in the first inning on RBI singles by DH Noah Hall and C Kyle Anson (2-for-4, RBI). With one out in the second inning, LF James Cooper blasted a homer into the U.S. Cellular Pavilion in right field. Doubront went scoreless over the next three frames and yielded seven hits, three runs over 5 IP in taking a no-decision. RHP Chris Province tossed two scoreless innings with a walk and has not allowed a run in four consecutive outings.

Trenton starter RHP Ivan Nova yielded one run over 5 IP, scattering five hits, three walks and one strikeout. Portland scored their first run of the game in the fifth inning on CF Bubba Bell’s RBI double to right field.

The Sea Dogs wrap up their 7-game homestand on Sunday afternoon with a 1:00 PM start against the Thunder at Hadlock Field. RHP Junichi Tazawa (6-3, 2.79) makes his team-leading 12th start of the season for the ‘Dogs. RHP Ryan Pope (2-4, 5.16), who beat the Sea Dogs earlier this season, takes the mound for the 10th time in 2009. Catch all the action on the U.S. Cellular Sea Dogs Radio Network beginning at 12:35 PM with the CorrectDeck Pre-Game Show.

Notes…3B Jorge Jimenez went 2-for-4, RS…The Sea Dogs have won all four games on the homestand by 1-run…Anderson has his average at .255, 7 HR and 33 RBI…The entire lineup for the Sea Dogs reached base safely with the exception of RF Reid Engel.