NEW BRITAIN -- After two games of the Rock Cats' first homestand of the season, New Britain manager Stan Cliburn had some concerns about his team's stagnant offense.

 

The Rock Cats had gone 21 innings without a run before scoring in the 11th inning of Friday's victory over the Harrisburg Senators.

 

The concerns were eased a bit Saturday when the Rock Cats had 14 hits and scored six runs, and Cliburn was comforted even more when the Rock Cats put up 15 hits Sunday.

 

Now Cliburn has to worry about his team's finishing punch.

 

On Saturday the Rock Cats looked comfortably ahead late before the Senators rallied with two out in the eighth and won in extra innings.

 

In the late going Sunday, it looked as if Harrisburg would pull another out from under the Rock Cats before Kevin Cameron came on in the ninth to put down the rallying Senators.

 

New Britain, which led by six going into ninth, held on for a 7-5 victory over Harrisburg to close out the four-game series before 3,914 at New Britain Stadium.

 

With a runner at first and two out in the ninth, Cameron relieved J.T. Thomas and struck out Shawn Norris.

 

"This is why I have gray hair," Cliburn said. "I sure didn't want to see Norris come up there. That guy's got some pop out there."

 

Thomas got Marcus Nettles to ground to second for the first out of the ninth but Edgar Gonzalez followed with a single to right. Craig Kuzmik then hit a shot back at Thomas, who bobbled what looked to be a game-ending double play ball. Thomas struck out Christian Guerrero next, but Melvin Dorta doubled down the line in left to drive in Gonzalez.

 

Former Rock Cat Juan Lorenzo followed with a two-run triple down the right field line. New Britain third baseman Jake Mauer then muffed a grounder by Brandon Watson, allowing Lorenzo to score, making it 7-5. Cameron came in and struck out Norris n a 2-and-2 pitch.

 

"We played errorless ball and then there in the ninth Thomas makes a routine error on a double play ball, then Jake Mauer I don't think was ready for the ball," Cliburn said. "That wind started blowing out to right and I said, `Oh man, we've got a game here.' That's why you play nine innings. We stress it all the time to these guys. This game will turn around and bite you if you let your guard down." 

 

April 18, 2005