Panther's homer gets Aeros even

Win over Sea Dogs brings homefield advantage

By Stephanie Storm

Beacon Journal sports writer

PORTLAND, MAINE - The Aeros were up against a pair of trends in Game 2
of the Eastern League Championship Series Wednesday night. Yet they
emerged as against-the-odds winners on both accounts with a 4-3
victory over the Portland Sea Dogs.

Perhaps the toughest trend to ignore in the back-and-forth game at
Hadlock Field was that in the previous 11 Eastern League playoff
games, the home team had won every one.

The other hurdle in the Aeros' way was the Sea Dogs' playoff-leading
pitching staff (2.30 ERA) against the Aeros postseason-best .307 team
batting average.

Thanks to Nate Panther's two-out home run in the fifth inning
Wednesday, the Aeros tied the best-of-five series at 1-1.

``To come home 1-1 is huge,'' said Panther, who launched a Charlie
Zink knuckleball far over the right-field wall for the ultimate
game-winner. ``The worst thing we could have done is come back down
two games with three to go. It would have been a real tough climb.''

But with the Aeros' coaching staff simulating Zink in pre-game batting
practice, the Aeros were primed to jump out to a quick lead.

``I threw to Nate's group today and they did pretty well, no?'' Aeros
manager Torey Lovullo said.

Like they did in the series opener on Monday, the Aeros scored a pair
of first-inning runs, this time snapping Zink's streak of 24 1/3
scoreless innings.

Although the streak started when Zink began experimenting with a new
grip, he proved vulnerable early Wednesday when his knuckleball
fluttered a little high in the strike zone.

Eider Torres hit a leadoff double, Brad Snyder doubled him home and a
bloop single by Pat Osborn scored Snyder and the Aeros led 2-0.

The Sea Dogs made it 2-1 in their half of the first.

Chris Durbin singled and went to second on a wild pitch. Scott
Youngbauer's single advanced him to third and a passed ball off the
glove of Aeros catcher Javi Herrera allowed Durbin to score.

Portland tied the score in the third inning with the aid of three
singles, but also left the bases loaded when Aeros starter Rafael
Perez struck out David Murphy to escape the threat.

The Aeros took the lead with a run in third on an RBI-double by Ryan
Mulhern, but the Sea Dogs came right back to tie the score again.

``Naturally, it affected me a little bit that they kept coming back
like that,'' Perez said with the help of Herrera as an interpreter.
``Every time we put up a run, ideally you don't want to let them right
back in it.''

After Panther's home run in the fifth, Perez blanked the Sea Dogs in
the fifth and the sixth and the bullpen took over from there.

``It was very similar to (Tuesday's) game,'' Lovullo said. ``They're
not going to be shut down.''

Chris Cooper and Ed Mujica combined to handle the final nine outs to
preserve Perez's win.

Mujica got the final four outs for the save.

``It was crucial for Cooper to come out and do what he did,'' Aeros
pitching coach Greg Hibbard said. ``And Mujica was once again able to
come in a batter early in the eighth to give us an added lift.''
Messages for Stephanie Storm can be left at 330-996-3814 or
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