Thunder Drop Series-Opener to Portland, 4-2

Thunder Drop Series-Opener to Portland, 4-2

Thunder threaten in 9th, but fall just short

TRENTON, NJ - The Thunder being their eight-game home stand and four-game series against the Portland Sea Dogs with a 4-2 loss Thursday night.

Eighteen walks, three hit batters, five wild pitches and two passed balls were enough to make a ballgame that featured just six combined runs last 3:34. But the 5,805 in attendance at ARM & HAMMER Park stuck around until the end to see the Thunder fall just short in their comeback effort.

Trenton got on the board first with a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Ramon Flores reached on a walk and scored following a wild pitch, fly out and passed ball. So without recording a hit, the Thunder led early.

After a pair of unanswered runs for Portland, the Thunder tied the game with a run in the bottom of the 4th inning. The first three batters of the inning reached before Jose Gil walked to score Kyle Roller. Following the walk, the bases remained loaded with no outs when Portland starting pitcher Henry Owens was removed from the ballgame in favor of Pete Ruiz. Ruiz was able to escape with a pick-off of Carmen Angelini at third base by the catcher Christian Vazquez, a strikeout and a lineout. The game would remain tied until Portland scored a go-ahead run in the 6th inning and an insurance run in the 9th.

In the bottom of the 9th inning trailing 4-2, the Thunder got back-to-back hits by Gil and Reegie Corona to begin the inning. Mason Williams laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance both runners into scoring position, but Ramon Flores and Jose Pirela were retired to end the game.

Trenton's lead in the East Division Wild Card is 2.5 games over the New Hampshire Fisher Cats and 4.0 over the Sea Dogs with 12 games remaining in the regular season.

The Thunder continue their four-game series and eight-game home stand against the Portland Sea Dogs Friday at 7:05 p.m. Limited tickets available at www.trentonthunder.com/tickets or by calling (609)394-3300. Radio coverage on 91.3 FM (WTSR) and streaming online begins at 6:45 p.m.

Being posted with permission from the Trenton Thunder organization. The original article can be seen HERE.