Double A All Star Game Recap: How the West Was Won.

2013 Portland Sea Dogs All Stars. From L to R, Christian Vazquez, Matt Spring, Anthony Ranaudo, Michael Almanzar

New Britain, CT- Anthony Ranaudo, your Portland Sea Dogs pitching prospect, started the Double A All Star Game on Tuesday, and while many were expecting swings and misses, they instead saw players rounding bases. Ranaudo walked his first two men before giving up a homerun to Richmond's Javier Herrera. Control was a problem in the beginning, as Ranaudo threw 27 pitches overall, only 11 for strikes. After his third issued walk of the inning, he was able to settle in, and he retired the next three in order. Unfortunately, has was relieved after only one inning of work, allowing one hit, three walks and three earned runs.

The Eastern League reserve players

Overall, the Sea Dogs had four players who played in the All Star Classic, as Ranaudo, Christian Vazquez and Michael Almanzar started, and Matt Spring came in for the seventh inning to catch. Vazquez had two at bats, grounding out to the pitcher in the third and flying out to the first baseman in the fifth. Almanzar singled through the hole at short in the second inning and popped out to the first baseman in the forth. Spring gave it his all in his only at bat in the eighth, but he popped out to right field on a long drive.

When the game ended, the Western Division pulled out a 5-0 victory over the East, out hitting them 6 to 5 in the process. And while the East didn't score a run, there were still exciting moments by the boys in red. Right fielder and Mets prospect Cesar Puello showed off his arm with an absolute gun in the top of the forth. Nationals prospect Brian Goodwin singled to right with a man on second, but Puello came up throwing and fired a bullet directly into the catcher Vazquez's glove. The bang-bang play resulted in a collision at the plate, but Portland's Vazquez held on for the out.

The East tried to rally in the bottom of the fourth, when Puello was hit by a pitch but then thrown out at third on a Josmil Pinto single. Twin's prospect Pinto singled to right field, but Akron's Carlos Moncrief picked up the wet ball and nailed Puello at third.

After the three run homerun by Herrera in the first, the West added two more runs in the fourth, as HR Derby Champion (read more about last night's Derby here) Caleb Joseph doubled, then Moncrief singled him in. Pirates prospect Jarek Cunningham then followed with a single to left to plate Joseph.

A shaving cream pied MVP, Javier Herrera

After the game, Javier Herrera was given the MVP for his role in the win. The trophy is going to go back home to Venezuela. Said Herrera,

I'm gonna give that trophy to my mom, the one who got me here. My family told me don't give up, and now I'm here just for them.

When asked about his approach for his at bat, Herrera explained

[Ranaudo] was a bit wild the first two batters, and all I wanted to do was get a good barrell on it. I wanted to show people that I am cabable of special things. [I am just] trying to have a quality at bat. You see it and hit it.

Over 6,800 attended the game and waited out the 20 minute rain delay, but the Rock Cats field staff did a great job getting the playing field ready for the expo. How did the city of New Britain do? Just ask Orioles prospect Caleb Joseph:

New Britain has put on a first class production. It's been run perfectly.

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