SENATORS GAME RECAP

The Harrisburg Senators used stifling pitching to ruin the Trenton Thunder’s home opener, 3-1, Thursday in their first game away from Commerce Bank Park. RHP Shairon Martis had a strong start and relievers Tim Bittner, Levale Speigner and Arnie Munoz combined to shut down the Thunder out of the bullpen. Harrisburg made the most of just four hits on their way to the win.

Martis gave up just two hits through the first five innings. Trenton RHP Dan McCutchen took a no-hitter into the sixth frame, but it quickly turned sour in the sixth as Roger Bernadina doubled off the wall in center to plate Ian Desmond from first base. Two batters later, Justin Maxwell bounced back to the pitcher, but the throw got away from the first baseman and Bernadina came all the way around to score and gave the Senators a 2-0 lead.

Trenton came back with a run in the bottom of the sixth. Bittner came on with the bases loaded and one out and allowed an RBI sacrifice fly to Colin Curtis to cut the lead to 2-1. Bittner kept the Senators in front by inducing an inning-ending flyout with no further damage.

The Thunder threatened again in the bottom of the eighth. With runners at the corners and one out, Speigner induced an inning-ending double play to short-circuit the rally.

Harrisburg tacked on an insurance run in the top of the ninth when Andrew Lefave lifted a bases-loaded sacrifice fly to score Maxwell and make it 3-1 Harrisburg. Munoz worked a perfect ninth to notch his first save of the season.

Martis (1-0) picked up the win on the mound, giving up a run on four hits and two walks while striking out six in 5.1 innings pitched. McCutchen (1-1) was saddled with the loss. The Senators upped their record to 5-2 while the Thunder fell to 4-4.