Here at Waterfront Park for Game 2 of the Northern Division Championship of the AA Eastern League. Nothing better than Yankees - Red Sox, even when it is in the minor leagues.

Pitching matchup is a good one. Clay Buchholz vs. Jeffrey Marquez.

Buchholz started the season in the Boston Red Sox rotation, but after battling injuries and ineffectiveness, was demoted to Portland. He is 1-0 with a 1.80 ERA in a couple of starts.  Starting in AAA Scranton, Marquez also has battled injuries and ineffectiveness this season. He is now rehabbing here in Trenton. He is 1-1 with a 2.93 ERA in 3 starts.

Marquez has a good curve and a very good hard sinker, giving him an astounding 2.30 ground ball/fly ball ratio here at Trenton.

Talked with Tony Franklin before the game and asked if he thought he team was playing with “house money” tonight after winning last night and going up against Buchholz, the former no-hit pitcher. He replied, “Not at all. We know we are going up against a real good pitcher, but we feel we got a good one going tonight, too.”

The Thunder need to manufacture runs tonight, make Buchholz work hard and get to the Sea Dog bullpen. The Thunder lineup is just not powerful enough to get a lot of extra base hits and I don’t see them putting together any big innings - at least against Buchholz. Marquez will have to pitch very well tonight for the Thunder to beat Portland - and the home plate umpire.  You just know that Buchholz will get the benefit of the doubt on any close pitches because he is a major leaguer.

Top 1st -Leadoff single by Jorge Jiminez, not your typical speedy leadoff hitter at 6′ 1″ and 210 lbs. He topped a ball in front of the plate, scooped up by catcher PJ Pilittere, who hit the runner with the throw. Should have runner interference because the runner was inside the foul line, but the call was not made.

That interference call should always be made in a game as runners NEVER run outside the line like the rule book says.

After one out, Zach Daeges rips a single to right for first and second. Daeges is a good young hitter, typically of what the Red Sox generally have in their system - big guys who can hit the long ball.

SIDE BAR - Daeges and Yankee relief pitcher Eric Wordekemper were teammates at       Creighton University. So far this season, Wordy has gotten the upper hand, retiring Daeges on three occasions (including one strikeout) with one walk.

The slower footed Jiminez never tried to advance to third, sauntering into second base. After a flyball caught by Austin Jackson in center, Marquez got out of trouble by whiffing Lars Anderson on a really nice sinker low and away.

Marquez looks good thus far, throwing his curve for strikes and getting swings on his sinker.

Bottom 1st- Buchholz looks sharp, too, getting two quick infield outs. Now facing Jackson, the Yankees best position prospect at this level. Good test for Jackson…which did not go well.

Clay whiffs Jackson looking on an outside fastball - which looked, well, outside.

FIRST MAJOR LEAGUE BENEFIT OF DOUBT CALL OF THE GAME FOR BUCHHOLZ.

But, if the ball is close enough to be called a strike, a hitter has to swing in that situation. Good setup by the catcher, though. Curveball outside then a fastball outside. Caught Jackson thinking another curve.

Top 2nd - Marquez throwing curveball for first pitch strikes and getting Sea Dog hitters to jump at the ball. Records his second strikeout in a three up, three down inning.

Bottom 2nd- Inning was so quick by Buchholz. I did not even have time to finish my top 2nd report before this half inning was over. Buchholz’ curve is really good. He also has the Thunder hitters off stride. Chris Malec reached very tentatively at a curve for strike three, and Malec is one of the more consistent Thunder hitters.

Top 3rd - With two outs, the Sea Dogs put back to back singles together, but Marquez escapes damage by getting clean up hitter Aaron Bates, who doubled twice last night, to fly out to center.

Bottom 3rd- With two outs, Kevin Russo lines a double down the left field line, the Thunder’s first hit of the evening - and first base runner. Leadoff hitter Reegie Corona then works a walk on a 3-2 pitch, not chasing a very nice Buchholz curve. First and second two out for Ramiro Pena.

Pena also takes a very good slow curve. Appears the Thunder have adjusted after the first time through the lineup and are laying off that pitch.

Just as I mention that Trenton is starting to lay off that good curve, Pena swings and misses at a curve for strike three. Inning over, but Trenton chipped away at Buchholz this inning and made him throw a  lot of pitches. As he walked off the mound, Buchholz put his glove up to his face and said something to himself.

Wish I was able to hear what he said, but it probably wasn’t meant for publishing anyway.

Top 4th - Two out walk from Marquez.

SIDE BAR - Was just checking out the major league scores and noticed that last night Ross Ohlendorf got his first start for the Pittsburgh Pirates. That means that both Karstens and Ohlendorf are now in the majors, McCutchen won three games at Indianapolis and Jose Tabata hit .348, 3 HR’s. 13 RBI’s in 89 AB’s since the trade. Meanwhile, the Yanks have lost ground since the Nady/Marte trade.

Marquez walks his second straight with two down. Let’s see if it comes back to haunt him.

It did, with two strikes on the #9 hitter Mickey Hall, Marquez gives up a two run double. The ball was powered over the right fielder Colin Curtis. Curtis retrieved the ball, hit the cutoff man perfectly, who then made a great relay to Russo at third to cut down Hall trying to stretch the double. Why make the last out at third? The runner has to realize he is already in scoring position at second base and should stay there.

With the top of the order coming up and Marquez working hard during this inning, an even bigger inning could have occured. Big base running mistake by Mickey Hall.

Bottom 5th- Three up, three down for Trenton. It’s like men against boys with Buchholz on the hill, although lefty Colin Curtis hit a long drive to right which appeared to go over the pole, but was ruled foul.

Where was the replay official on that one?

Top 6th-  Lead off double by Jiminez, his second hit. Curtis should have caught the ball near the wall in right, but the ball glanced off his glove. Thought Bobby Abreu was out in RF.

After a failed bunt, Zach Daeges singled sharply to right, bringing home Jiminez. Marquez is now starting to get the ball up in the zone, but escapes further damage.

Portland 3 - Trenton 0.

Bottom 5th- Leadoff single by Pilittere. Only the second hard hit ball off of Buchholz. After getting a called third strike on Francisco Cervelli, Buchholz gets his second official I’M A FORMER BIG LEAGUER CALL ON A TWO STRIKE PITCHto Edwar Gonzalez. Strike out #3 for Buchholz this inning.

He now has 9 K’s through 5 innings.

Top 6th - Humberto Sanchez now in for Marquez. Sanchez throwing gas but hangs a curve to Mark Wagner and he drives it deep to right center where Jackson makes a nice running catch, actually making a tough play look really easy.

Sanchez should stick with the heat as he is really throwing hard, much harder than when I saw him on Monday afternoon. As I mentioned the other day, Sanchez is glad to be pitching out in the Arizona Fall League later this month.

After a single to left, he retired the next two.

Portland still ahead 3-0.

Bottom 6th- Back to back singles by Corona and Pena with Jackson coming up gets Buchholz into his first serious trouble of the night.

Manager Tony Franklin has Jackson bunting to advance the runners. A few scribes question this move, but if Jackson can get the bunt down, and someone hits a single, the Thunder will be down only 3-2 and Buchholz will NOT be going much longer, probably 7 innings at the most.

Jackson does not get the bunt down and the count is now 2-2.

WOW! Jackson crushes a towering homer off of Buchholz to tie the game at 3. Big at bat and homer for Jackson. After he didn’t bunt I commented to the guy next to me that the Thunder don’t have a real power threat to get the game close in a hurry, then Jackson hits the next pitch 380 feet over the really tall billboards that surround the outfield fence.

That same writer now has to change his entire “Thunder gets shut out” storyline.

Thunder 3 - Sea Dogs 3 after 6 innings.

Top 7th- Sanchez out and Michael Gardner in for the Thunder. Several writers moan on hearing Gardner’s name. Seems like he has control issues, and we’re not talking with his temper.

With the two, three and four hitters coming up, why not have Sanchez pitching against the middle of the lineup instead of a guy who hasn’t pitched very well of late?

Two appearances ago Gardner gave up 6 runs in two-thirds of an inning.

Sanchez is not in probably due to the Yankees babying of their prized pitchers, not wanting to push guys who have come back from Tommy John. TJS actually makes the elbow stronger because it uses a stronger ligament fromthe leg, so once a guy is letting it rip on the mound - and Sanchez was and has been this year - why not let it rip in a big spot in the playoffs? Isn’t the idea to win?

Anyway, Gardner is true to form and walks the first guy, and goes 2-0 on the second batter, but gets a double play on a sharply hit ball to third. Russo fielded the ball off his left foot (think glove save by a hockey goalie) and threw to Corona at second, who flipped it across his body to first for the second out. The ball was hit so hard that Russo had to wait for Corona to get to the bag to make his throw. That is why Corona had to make his throw on the run as he was crossing over second base.

Great play all around.

Gardner gets a reprieve from the Governor, then walks the next batter. What are you doing Michael?

He is replaced with Wilkins Arias, a young LHP who started the season in High A Tampa.

Arias bails out Gardner an the Thunder.

Still tied 3-3.

SIDE BAR - Can’t believe it, but Gardner was a Rule 5 pick off the Yankee roster last year by San Diego. The Padres got smart and gave him back to the Yankees.

A rule 5 pick is a player who, after a certain number of minor league seasons is not place on the parent club’s 40 man roster. This time is usually 3 to 4 years depending at what age a player was originally signed. The Rule 5 draft aims to prevent teams from stockpiling too many young players on their minor league affiliate teams when other teams would be willing to have them play in the majors. If a player is seleted by a team, that player must be kept on the selecting teams major league roster the entire season.

Most glaring example of a team losing a player to the Rule 5 draft is when Houston failed to put Johan Santana on its 40 man roster and he was selected by Florida, then traded to Minnesota. He stayed on the Twins roster that entire season despite a high ERA (over 6.00).

Bottom 7th- Clay Buchholz out after 6 innings. He allowed three runs on five hits including the three run homer to Jackson. The homer pitch was on a good curveball which Jackson went down and got. Nothing more for the Thunder. Except for last innings excitement with the Jackson homer, the bats have really been quiet for Trenton.

Top 8th - Wilkins Arias shows why he was promoted mid season. He strikes out the first two batters and gets the third out on a weekly struck ground ball.

Bottom 8th - After two outs, reliever Dave Gassner, who was supposed to be Game 5’s starter, walks Chris Malec. Duh? Didn’t he learn from Marquez in the 4th and Gardner two innings ago that walks are a no-no.

Walks kill, especially two out walks with no one on.

Colin Curtis lines a single to left center, Malec goes to third and now the Thunder have something going. Now 1st and 3rd with two out. Pitching change.

PJ Pilittere rips the first pitch from TJ Large into right center to put Trenton ahead 4-3. Amazing! Always a crowd favorite, PJ now is 3-4 on the day.

Seemingly down and out with Buchholz cruising in the 6th, now the Thunder have the lead.

After 8 complete: Trenton 4 - Portland 3.

Top 9th - Arias still in to start the 9th as Portland has two lefties coming up.

Arias strikes out the first batter with nothing but cheese (really good fastballs).

Second batter lines a single to right and her comes Franklin to make a pitching change.

In comes the closer Jose Valdez. Both Arias and Valdez started the 2008 season in High A Tampa. The Yankees have a lot of really live arms in their system.

Valdez walks #2 hitter Ryan Khoury on a realclose 3-2 pitch.

Daeges hits a shot up the middle which glances off the mound right to second baseman Reegie Corona who fields the ball, steps on second base and throws to first for the game ending double play.

A sure game tying single luckily hit the mound and now Trenton goes up in the best of 5 series 2 games to none.

The Trenton Thunder win the game started by Clay Buchholz, who began the season in the 2008 Red Sox rotation. The same guy who pitched a no-hitter last season against the Baltimore Orioles.

The game that was somewhat of a “gimme” for Portland turns around quickly and becomes the dagger in the heart of the Sea Dogs.

POST GAME - Spoke with Portland 1B/DH Aaron Bates after the game and he is disappointed he left 5 guys on base tonight, but feels their team is going to come back and take Game 3. Bates banged out two doubles last night, and hit into two double plays tonight, but both DP’s were extremely hard hit. Bates would have tied the game in the 9th but the sharply hit grounder caught the side of the mound. Bates likes the direction the Red Sox organization takes by “promoting guys from within.” I asked how Marquez looked. “I faced Marquez last year, too, and he really keeps the ball down and changes speeds well,” Bates said.

Austin Jackson had the big hit of the night off of Clay Buchholz. Jackson said that once he saw the ball leave the hand, he knew he was going to smack it. Not necessarily a home run, but he knew he was going to hit it hard. It was a big moment for Jackson.

The other big moment - for me at least - was after the 6th inning home run with the scored tied 3-3. Going into the top of the 7th, the Sea Dogs had hitters 2, 3 and 4 due up. Humberto Sanchez had already pitched a scoreless 6th and I thought it might be good to have him start the 7th against the “heart of the order.”

JD:   “Did you think about keeping Sanchez in the game?”

Tony: ”Nope.”

JD:  “Are you allowed to go two innings with him at all?”

Tony: ”No. One is the limit.”

JD: “Can you go with Sanchez on back to back days?”

Tony: “Not at all.”

We know now that the Yankees are taking it very easy with the main cog of the Gary Sheffield trade.