Aaron Rifkin

TRENTON - After waiting a week to play their season opener, the Trenton Thunder defeated the Portland Sea Dogs, 4-1, in an Eastern League game last night in front of 6,230 fans in Waterfront Park. It was Trenton's first game as the New York Yankees' double-A affiliate. The Thunder had been snowed out or rained out for seven straight nights. Starter Andy Beal (1-0) struck out eight in six shutout innings and allowed just four hits. Trenton got a first-inning run on a bases-loaded walk to Aaron Rifkin by Portland starter Jorge De La Rosa (0-1)

LAKEWOOD, N.J. - Cole Hamels threw a four-hit shutout, striking out a career-high 13 over seven innings, in the Lakewood BlueClaws' 3-0 win over the Hagerstown Suns yesterday. Hamels didn't allow a walk in the South Atlantic League game that ended the Claws' franchise-record nine-game losing streak. Jeremy Isenhower went 2 for 3 and knocked in all three runs for the Claws in the opener of the day-night doubleheader. In the nightcap, the Suns' Clay Hensley threw a two-hit gem, outdueling the Claws' Matt Sweeney for a 5-0 win. Trenton 13, Erie 8 ERIE - Aaron Rifkin's two home runs helped the Thunder beat the SeaWolves in the Eastern League.

NORWICH, Conn. - Javier Ortiz pitched eight innings of four-hit ball to lead the Trenton Thunder to a 3-1 win over the Norwich Navigators yesterday in the Eastern League. Kevin Thompson and Kevin Reese opened the game with back-to-back singles and each came around to score - Thompson on a passed ball and Reese on Aaron Rifkin's RBI single. Akron 4, Reading 2 AKRON, Ohio - Ryan Church hit a solo homer and an RBI single to lead the Aeros over the Phillies in the Eastern League.

READING - Juan Richardson and Garry Maddox II homered and reliever Ryan Hutchison escaped a bases-loaded jam in the ninth inning as the Reading Phillies beat the Binghamton Mets, 4-2, yesterday in the Eastern League. Reliever Ian Harvey earned the victory, pitching three scoreless innings. Hutchison got the final three outs for his third save. Neal Musser took the loss, allowing six hits and two runs over five innings. Maddox hit a solo home run, his fourth of the season, in Reading's two-run first inning.

It was the bottom of the ninth, the score tied 4-4. There were two outs, two men on base, and the batter had a full count. You could see his face. You could feel a breeze on your back. "It doesn't get any better than this," gushed Earl McCord, of Monmouth Junction in Middlesex County, after Aaron Rifkin of the Trenton Thunder slammed a ball long and hard over the right-field wall. "Walk-off home run," the announcer intoned. Fans already were on their feet, hooting, applauding and generally erupting into all sorts of boisterous appreciation at the rare treat.