Bridgewater, NJ - The Portland Sea Dogs (13-14) recorded their highest scoring output of the season, as they took the series finale against the Somerset Patriots (12-15) 11-4 on Sunday afternoon.
Caden Rose had a breakout day, going three-for-four from the plate with two doubles, an infield single, a walk, and two runs. Nelly Taylor hit his first home run of the season and Johanfran Garcia hit his third home run of the season, with all three coming in this series against the Patriots. Garcia added a bases-clearing double in the eighth inning, recording four RBI on the day.
RHP Justin Slaten started the first inning as the Sea Dogs’ first Major League rehab assignment from the Red Sox this season. Slaten allowed one hit before closing the inning scoreless on back-to-back strikeouts.
Following Slaten’s exit, LHP Hayden Mullins had an excellent outing, allowing two runs in 6.0 innings of work with ten strikeouts, tying his career high.
Somerset struck first with a solo home run from Tyler Hardman in the second inning, his fourth in the last three games.
Trailing 1-0 in the top of the third, the Sea Dogs strung together a number of hits and free passes. McDonough reached base on a walk and was brought around to third on Caden Rose’s first double of the day. Will Turner singled which extended his hit streak to five games, and drove in McDonough and Rose to take the lead 2-1.
Mullins retired the side in order in the bottom half, before the Sea Dogs piled on in the fourth. Ronald Rosario led off the inning with a single to center field. On two outs, McDonough walked for the second time and stole second, advancing to third on an error by catcher Manuel Palencia. Rose walked, leaving runners on the corners. The Sea Dogs successfully executed a double steal, as Rose slid in safely at second, and McDonough stole home on the throwdown. Ahbram Liendo stepped up to the plate and snuck an RBI single past two diving infielders into left field, as Rose came around to extend the lead to 4-1.
Somerset executed the exact same double steal situation in the fifth inning to add one more, as Marco Luciano stole second, and Jace Avina stole home on the throw.
The Sea Dogs responded immediately, as both Johanfran Garcia and Nelly Taylor hit it out of the park in the fifth inning. Rosario, who had walked earlier, came home to score on Taylor’s home run, adding insurance runs onto the Sea Dogs’ lead, 7-2.
In the top of the eighth inning, a fielder’s choice and two walks loaded the bases. With one swing of the bat, Johanfran Garcia cleared them on a double to left field, breaking the game open 10-2. Rosario recorded his second hit of the day with a single to left field, as Garcia came around to score, and the Sea Dogs led 11-2.
Somerset added two more runs, one each in the eighth and ninth innings, but were unable to get a rally going.
LHP Hayden Mullins (2-1, 3.18 ERA ) earned the win, allowing two runs on two hits and one walk with ten strikeouts in 6.0 innings of work. RHP Chase Chaney (2-1, 4.28 ERA ) shouldered the loss, giving up seven runs on six hits, four walks, and two home runs in 5.0 innings pitched.
The Sea Dogs return home to Portland on Tuesday, May 3rd to face the New Hampshire Fisher Cats for the second time this season. Portland and New Hampshire split their first series, 3-3. The game will begin at 6:00 pm at Delta Dental Park, with starters for both teams yet to be announced.