Hartford, CT - The Portland Sea Dogs (15-19) got the bats going late to execute a 9-6 comeback win over the Hartford Yard Goats (17-17) on Wednesday night.
The Sea Dogs scored five runs in the eighth inning to take the lead for good after trailing 6-3. Brooks Brannon, the reigning player of the week in the Eastern League, hit his sixth home run of the season, and now has four in his last four games played. Miguel Bleis had a multi-hit game for the second night in a row, extending his hit streak to seven games. Overall, eight Sea Dogs had hits, five had multi-hit games, and the Sea Dogs tied their season high in hits with 13.
It was a back and forth affair in Hartford as the teams traded leads throughout the night. After two walks and a Marvin Alcantara single loaded the bases in the top of the first, Miguel Bleis poked a ball into left field, bringing around Franklin Arias to score. Nate Baez was caught at the plate trying to add another, ending the inning with the Sea Dogs leading 1-0.
Hartford answered back in the bottom half, as Bryant Betancourt launched a sacrifice fly to right field that was deep enough for Benny Montgomery to tag and score from third.
The Sea Dogs displayed solid contact hitting throughout the night, with six singles, four doubles, and three home runs. Tyler McDonough led off the second inning with a double, advancing to third on a Max Ferguson bunt single. RHP Eiberson Castellano’s throw to first on the bunt went wide of the bag, and McDonough scored on the error, putting Portland back in front, 2-1.
Cole Messina hit a two-run home run in the bottom half to take the first Yard Goats lead of the night, 3-2.
Miguel Bleis drove in his second run with a line-drive single in the third inning, scoring Nate Baez to tie it once again, 3-3.
The Yard Goats added three runs in the fifth inning and took the biggest lead of the night by either team, 6-3.
The Sea Dogs weren’t done yet, as the bats came alive late to chip away at the Yard Goats’ lead. Brooks Brannon hit his solo home run in the seventh inning, cutting the deficit to two.
RHP Patrick Halligan retired the bottom of the seventh in order, and the Sea Dogs carried that momentum to the top of the eighth inning, driving in five runs to storm into the lead.
Miguel Bleis led off the eighth with a walk before Tyler McDonough blasted a home run to left center field, his third of the season, to tie the game. Nelly Taylor followed that up with a double to record his second multi-hit game of the season. Max Ferguson joined the home run party one batter later, driving it to right field to take the two-run lead 8-6.
Franklin Arias walked to put another runner on. He stole second and then third as the throw from Betancourt went wide of second base, and came home to score moments later as Nate Baez hit a bloop double to shallow right field, pushing the lead to 9-6.
RHP Cade Feeney entered to pitch for the Sea Dogs and retired the Yard Goats in order in both the eighth and ninth innings, sealing the victory.
RHP Patrick Halligan (1-0, 6.86 ERA) earned the win, holding Hartford hitless and scoreless through two innings of work with two strikeouts. RHP Cade Feeney delivered his first save of the season. LHP Alberto Pacheco (0-2, 11.49 ERA) took the loss, allowing six runs on five hits, two walks, and three home runs in 2.0 innings pitched.
RHP Blake Wehunt (0-2, 8.64 ERA) will take the mound for the Sea Dogs tomorrow, and is lined up to face the Yard Goats’ LHP Sam Weatherly (0-1, 10.54 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 pm.