Sea Dogs take opener from Aeros

Sowers knocked around in ELCS Game 1 loss

By Stephanie Storm

Beacon Journal sports writer

PORTLAND, MAINE - Unlike many young pitchers, Jeremy Sowers isn't
afraid to pitch in the strike zone and go after hitters.

That attack mentality serves the Aeros left-hander well on most
occasions, but it didn't have the same results as usual in Game 1 of
the Eastern League Championship Series, a 6-4 loss to the Portland Sea
Dogs on Tuesday at Hadlock Field.

Sowers spotted the host Sea Dogs three runs on a triple and pair of
home runs in the first three innings.

Last week, Sowers got away with giving up three runs in the first
inning against the Altoona Curve, and even went on to earn the win in
a playoff series opener. He wasn't so lucky this time.

In a game that featured five errors, the Sea Dogs hit Sowers for six
runs (four earned) on nine hits and a pair of walks.

``I was leaving the ball up and we kind of veered away from our game
plan early,'' Sowers said. ``I like to use my fastball to set up
everything, and we didn't do that. And when I left pitches up, they
took advantage of it more times than not.''

Sowers' opposition on the mound was another lefty, Jon Lester. His
credentials include being named Eastern League Pitcher of the Year.
Lester also had problems early in the game.

After retiring the first two batters he faced, Lester's fielding error
while covering first base allowed Brad Snyder to reach safely. Snyder
advanced to third base on a wild pitch and another error by the Sea Dogs.

Four pitches later, Ryan Mulhern blasted a home run to left field that
bounced off the top of Portland's mini version of Boston's green monster.

The Aeros had a 2-0 lead, but it didn't last long.

Sowers yielded leadoff home runs by Chris Durbin and Brandon Moss in
the first and second innings. In the third inning, Jeremy West's RBI
triple tied the score.

``The first home run was just a bad pitch sequence,'' Aeros pitching
coach Greg Hibbard said. ``(Sowers) never really established his
two-seamer away, and after throwing two sliders, he tried to go in
inside and (Durbin) crushed it.''

Unlike Sowers, who allowed at least one base runner in each of his six
innings, Lester allowed just two base runners after the second inning
to earn the win.

The Sea Dogs took the lead for good in the fifth inning after loading
the bases with none out. Two runners scored before Sowers could induce
Moss to hit into a double play and strike out Chad Spann to end the
threat.

In the sixth, first baseman Shaun Larkin dropped a pop up in the
infield that contributed to an unearned run as the Sea Dogs padded
their lead to three runs.

``We didn't play fundamental baseball,'' manager Torey Lovullo said of
the two errors that led to a pair of unearned runs.

The Aeros scored a run in the eighth inning when Nate Panther led off
with a double and scored on Portland's third error of the game, but
came up short.