July 9, 2018 at 4:18 p.m.
Portland pummeled
Rockets have now lost three straight home games
Portland pummeled
By Nate Fields-
The Rockets began the season looking unstoppable at home.
The last three games at Portland Memorial Park’s Runkle-Miller Field have been a vastly different story.
After a 9-3 loss to the Fort Wayne Jackers Friday, the Rockets failed to get back on track in their Saturday doubleheader against the Hammond Lakers.
An inability to consistently put bats on balls and cleanly field grounders led to losses of 9-2 and 14-3 for Portland.
“These are lumps that we take as we build toward being a tournament team,” said Portland manager Randy Miller, whose team fell below .500 for the first time since starting the season 0-1. “… We just haven’t had everybody here at the same time.
“When that happens, we’ll all look and say, ‘Where’s this been?’”
Garrett Scott got the nod on the mound for the Rockets (9-10) in the first outing, throwing six innings and allowing nine hits. On just his third pitch of the afternoon he hit leadoff Laker Jeremy Gains with a wild throw, providing a glimpse of the rough day ahead for the Rockets.
With two out and one on for the Lakers, Stefano Belmonte roped an RBI double down the right field line to open the scoring. Jake Lane and Larry Mark Dye each followed up with RBI singles, forcing the Rockets to stare at a 3-0 deficit before even stepping to the plate.
While the Lakers wasted no time getting on both the bases and the scoreboard, the Rockets only mustered one hit — a single from Portland native Mitch Waters — through the first five innings.
In the second inning, Glen Kubek hit a ball that began the fielding troubles for Portland. A grounder bounced away from the waiting glove of shortstop Zeth Tanner, allowing Kubek to reach base safely to begin the side. Two more grounders bounced away from Tanner before the day was over.
“You have to make your own breaks,” Miller said. “And we’re just not at that higher echelon yet.”
Despite the defensive struggles, Tanner did his part to help slim an eight-run deficit in the sixth inning. After catcher Cody Krumlauf was walked to start the bottom half of the inning, Tanner sent himself and Krumlauf into scoring position with a double into right-center field. Waters rolled a grounder past Gains at second base to score both players and get the Rockets their only runs of the first game.
Krumlauf noticed one difference in defensive execution Saturday compared to past games.
“Mainly, just not being able to make the routine play consistently,” he said. “Bad hops and things like that all played a factor. The wind blowing in didn’t help much, but we’re good ball players. We have to be able to make up for the wind and things like that.”
Laker right fielder Will Thomas drove in an insurance run for Hammond with an RBI single off Gaven Hare to score Kubek in the top of the seventh.
The second bout started off much closer but quickly got away from the Rockets.
Portland was within striking distance, trailing just 5-3 when the Lakers unleashed an eight-run onslaught in the fifth inning.
After striking out Tariq Suboh to begin the side, the wheels fell off for pitcher Chandler Jacks and the rest of the Rockets defense. The Lakers batted around their order courtesy of five walks, four doubles and two singles, capped off by an RBI single from Robbie Carsel to score Kendall King.
The Rockets were unable to match that output in the fifth and sixth innings, causing the game to end via run rule after the sixth frame.
Despite a lackluster finish, Portland got off to a solid start in the back end of the doubleheader. Chris Gaines was walked to start the game, and Waters sent him across the plate with an RBI single into right field to give the Rockets their first lead of the day.
With the game knotted at three in the fourth inning, Thomas permanently reclaimed the Lakers’ lead with a solo shot 325 feet over the fence in left field for the day’s only home run. Thomas had two of Hammond’s 15 hits in the latter half of the doubleheader.
“I liked their approach today,” said Hammond manager Tim Jahnz, whose team finished with 25 combined hits and only allowed eight on the day. “They were relaxed. They tried to work the count to get good pitches, and when the pitchers didn’t have command they found a way to get on base.”
Portland will have a week to regroup before returning home to face the Indiana Bandits at 1 p.m. July 14 in another Saturday doubleheader.
The last three games at Portland Memorial Park’s Runkle-Miller Field have been a vastly different story.
After a 9-3 loss to the Fort Wayne Jackers Friday, the Rockets failed to get back on track in their Saturday doubleheader against the Hammond Lakers.
An inability to consistently put bats on balls and cleanly field grounders led to losses of 9-2 and 14-3 for Portland.
“These are lumps that we take as we build toward being a tournament team,” said Portland manager Randy Miller, whose team fell below .500 for the first time since starting the season 0-1. “… We just haven’t had everybody here at the same time.
“When that happens, we’ll all look and say, ‘Where’s this been?’”
Garrett Scott got the nod on the mound for the Rockets (9-10) in the first outing, throwing six innings and allowing nine hits. On just his third pitch of the afternoon he hit leadoff Laker Jeremy Gains with a wild throw, providing a glimpse of the rough day ahead for the Rockets.
With two out and one on for the Lakers, Stefano Belmonte roped an RBI double down the right field line to open the scoring. Jake Lane and Larry Mark Dye each followed up with RBI singles, forcing the Rockets to stare at a 3-0 deficit before even stepping to the plate.
While the Lakers wasted no time getting on both the bases and the scoreboard, the Rockets only mustered one hit — a single from Portland native Mitch Waters — through the first five innings.
In the second inning, Glen Kubek hit a ball that began the fielding troubles for Portland. A grounder bounced away from the waiting glove of shortstop Zeth Tanner, allowing Kubek to reach base safely to begin the side. Two more grounders bounced away from Tanner before the day was over.
“You have to make your own breaks,” Miller said. “And we’re just not at that higher echelon yet.”
Despite the defensive struggles, Tanner did his part to help slim an eight-run deficit in the sixth inning. After catcher Cody Krumlauf was walked to start the bottom half of the inning, Tanner sent himself and Krumlauf into scoring position with a double into right-center field. Waters rolled a grounder past Gains at second base to score both players and get the Rockets their only runs of the first game.
Krumlauf noticed one difference in defensive execution Saturday compared to past games.
“Mainly, just not being able to make the routine play consistently,” he said. “Bad hops and things like that all played a factor. The wind blowing in didn’t help much, but we’re good ball players. We have to be able to make up for the wind and things like that.”
Laker right fielder Will Thomas drove in an insurance run for Hammond with an RBI single off Gaven Hare to score Kubek in the top of the seventh.
The second bout started off much closer but quickly got away from the Rockets.
Portland was within striking distance, trailing just 5-3 when the Lakers unleashed an eight-run onslaught in the fifth inning.
After striking out Tariq Suboh to begin the side, the wheels fell off for pitcher Chandler Jacks and the rest of the Rockets defense. The Lakers batted around their order courtesy of five walks, four doubles and two singles, capped off by an RBI single from Robbie Carsel to score Kendall King.
The Rockets were unable to match that output in the fifth and sixth innings, causing the game to end via run rule after the sixth frame.
Despite a lackluster finish, Portland got off to a solid start in the back end of the doubleheader. Chris Gaines was walked to start the game, and Waters sent him across the plate with an RBI single into right field to give the Rockets their first lead of the day.
With the game knotted at three in the fourth inning, Thomas permanently reclaimed the Lakers’ lead with a solo shot 325 feet over the fence in left field for the day’s only home run. Thomas had two of Hammond’s 15 hits in the latter half of the doubleheader.
“I liked their approach today,” said Hammond manager Tim Jahnz, whose team finished with 25 combined hits and only allowed eight on the day. “They were relaxed. They tried to work the count to get good pitches, and when the pitchers didn’t have command they found a way to get on base.”
Portland will have a week to regroup before returning home to face the Indiana Bandits at 1 p.m. July 14 in another Saturday doubleheader.
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