Stras-Blog

On occasion, I get to travel and cover teams outside of the Trenton Thunder and Somerset Patriots during the baseball season.  This would be one of those occasions.

I’m heading up to Alliance Bank Stadium in Syracuse, NY tomorrow to cover Stephen Strasburg’s start for the Syracuse Chiefs against the Toledo Mud Hens.  Suffice it to say, I’m very excited.  I will, however, have to miss tomorrow’s game against the Erie SeaWolves and possible the Tuesday morning game as well.

So, for a day, this will turn into the Stephen Stras-Blog.  I’ll have live blog coverage of Strasburg’s outing with the photos, video and so on that you’re used to on here.  I thought about this a bit…and I think most baseball fans, regardless of what team they like, are at the very least curious about Strasburg.  So I don’t have much issue with covering his start on here and…ultimately…for an article that you’ll find in The Hunterdon County Democrat as well.

So if you or someone you know is looking for Strasburg coverage tomorrow, be sure to send them this way…

Mike Ashmore, mashmore98 AT gmail.com

Let My Cameron Go

(PR) Portland, ME- Playing in his third game for Portland on a rehab assignment, Mike Cameron hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the tenth inning as Portland won the series finale 7-6 over Trenton on Sunday afternoon at Hadlock Field. With the loss, the Thunder fall to 24-18 on the year.

Trenton came away with the first run of the game, as Brandon Laird hit a solo home run over the left field wall off RHP Robet Coello. It was the eighth homer on the year for Laird, and Trenton had a 1-0 lead at the end of four innings.

After the Thunder were set down in order in the top of the fifth, Portland scored six runs off Trenton RHP David Phelps, which were highlighted by a two-run double from Nate Spears. The Thunder answered right back in the top of the sixth inning, batting around LHP Mitch Herold and scoring five runs on four singles. Marcos Vechionacci and Justin Christian each provided two-run singles to tie the game up at six.

After retiring the last seven batters he faced, Phelps left after seven innings and gave up six runs on six hits and struck out five. He allowed just one hit outside of the fifth inning.

Both bullpens held the lineups in check through the end of nine innings. RHP Santo Luis (3-1) only gave up a walk in three innings of work through the tenth inning. RHP Paul Bush (0-2) came in the eighth inning and retired the first six batters he faced.

After Luis silenced Trenton in the top of the tenth, Mike Cameron led off the bottom half of the inning and hit a full count, walk-off home run to clinch the victory for Portland. It was the second home run for Cameron in the series against Thunder pitching.

Austin Romine and Brandon Laird had two hits each in the loss for Trenton.

The Thunder will begin a four game series with the Erie Seawolves on Monday night starting at 7:05 PM. No starter has yet to be announced for Trenton. Erie will start LHP Duane Below.