South Jersey Baseball:
Thunder Stay in "Wild Card" Lead with 12th Inning Win

Wednesday, August 24, 2005

By Dan Loney
Trenton Thunder Director of Broadcasting

(Portland, ME)- Bronson Sardinha's sacrifice fly in the 12th Inning scored Ramiro Pena with the go-ahead run in a 4-3 win by the Trenton Thunder on Wednesday over the Portland Sea Dogs. The win was the fourth straight for the Thunder, keeping them 1/2 game ahead of New Hampshire in the "wild card" race.

Trenton (66-64) trailed 2-0 into the 7th Inning. Portland scored twice in the 1st Inning off starter Eric Schmitt on RBI singles by Hanley Ramirez and Jeremy West. But the Thunder finally got on the board thanks to a solo homer by Michael Coleman in the seventh to make it a 2-1 game. Portland starter David Pauley, who retired the first 13 batters of the game, allowed one run in 6 1/3 innings.

The Sea Dogs (71-60) added an insurance run in the 8th Inning on a sacrifice fly by West off Danny Borrell, who allowed one run in four innings. Trenton came back to tie the game in the 9th Inning off Portland reliever Jim Mann. An RBI single by 1B Shelley Duncan and a fielder's choice RBI from LF Rudy Guillen scored the runs.

Portland missed several opportunites as they left 13 runners on base. But Trenton finally took the lead as SS Ramiro Pena walked off knuckleballer Charlie Zink to start the inning. He moved to 2nd Base on a passed ball and to 3rd Base on a ground out. Sardinha then brought him home on a fly ball to left field.

Thunder reliever Michael Brunet (1-1) worked two shutout innings for the win with three strikeouts. Zink (8-5), who was pitching for the third time in four days, allowed one run without a hit and took the loss.

The series finale is Thursday at 6:00 PM. Steven White (1-6, 8.36) starts for Trenton against Portland's Kason Gabbard (9-10, 4.52).