‘Jacks sign two, cut King, Silvestre

BANGOR – The Bangor Lumberjacks announced the signing Friday of outfielder-first baseman Taylor Groce to a contract. To make room on the roster for Groce, the Northeast League team released outfielder Stephen King.

Groce recently completed his college career at Columbus (Ga.) State University, where he hit .361 with eight home runs and 58 RBI this spring. A year ago, he batted .332 with eight home runs, 57 RBI and 50 runs scored to lead the Cougars to the NCAA Division II national championship.

King had hit .145 with four RBI in 27 games for the Lumberjacks this season.

The Lumberjacks also have signed outfielder Bryan Britt, and released outfielder Jean Silvestre.

A fourth-round draft choice of the St. Louis Cardinals in 1996, Britt played for the Adirondack Lumberjacks in 1999 and part of the 2000 season when the team was based in New York. In 2000, he hit four home runs and had 21 RBI late in the season in helping the Lumberjacks win the Northern League championship.

This year, playing for the Newark Bears of the Atlantic League, Britt had seen limited playing time but hit four home runs with 11 RBI.

Silvestre hit .224 with no home runs and eight RBI in 28 games for the Lumberjacks.

Curve, Sea Dogs split

PORTLAND – The Altoona Curve split a doubleheader with the Portland Sea Dogs, losing a close first game but coming back strong with a shutout in the second.

Kevin Youkilis’s sacrifice fly scored Carlos Leon and lifted the Sea Dogs to a 3-2 victory over the Curve during the first game Friday night in the Eastern League. The Sea Dogs rallied for two runs in the bottom of the seventh to win.

Sea Dogs starter Eric Glaser pitched the first five innings and gave up two solo home runs to Curve players Shawn Garrett and Ronny Paulino.

Portland pitcher Mike Nicolas (3-1) pitched two innings and gave up one hit, snagging the win.

Losing pitcher Todd Ozias (2-2) gave up two runs on two hits and was victimized by a throwing error that led to the winning run.

Portland’s Gabe Kaplar doubled and scored, a promising beginning for the new acquisition.

But the Sea Dogs fell apart in the second game. Altoona sent 11 batters to bat in the top of the fifth inning, scoring seven runs and sending Portland pitcher Brett Rudrude sent to the showers. Altoona won the game 7-0.

Altoona starting pitcher Jeff Bennett (4-2) went five innings, gave up one hit, struck out seven and walked one for the win.

Altoona’s Brett Roneberg had two hits and two RBIs. Reliever Neil McDade shut the Sea Dogs down over the last two innings.