Mike Scandura - Soggy Dogs wring out road victory; After long rain delays, Aaron Bates and the Sea Dogs manage to win 7-5 at Connecticut after rain-delayed losses.
NORWICH, Conn. — Portland's Aaron Bates was just 1 for 4 Friday night against the Connecticut Defenders. But the "1" was significant.
Bates crushed a two-run, 410-foot homer to dead center in the fifth inning that capped a rally and helped give the Sea Dogs a 7-5 victory.
Earlier, Connecticut nipped Portland 1-0 in the completion of a game that was suspended with one out in the bottom of the fourth due to rain on Thursday (the start Friday was delayed by rain 1 hour, 48 minutes).
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Bates was mired in a 6 for 34 (.176) slump when he homered to give Portland a 6-5 lead.
"I thought we did a nice job tonight of battling back," Manager Arnie Beyeler said. " (Bates) got the big hit. He battled back and drove the ball.
"We got a couple of big hits and took advantage of an error."