Portland, ME - The Portland Sea Dogs pitched their ninth no-hitter in franchise history as they downed the Hartford Yard Goats 3-2 on Sunday afternoon, ending the series split 3-3.
LHP Hayden Mullins, RHP Caleb Bolden, and RHP Reidis Sena combined for the no-hitter. Mullins pitched 5.0 innings, while Bolden and Sena dealt 2.0 innings apiece. Bolden and Sena ended the game with four perfect innings out of the bullpen, retiring 12 batters straight with a combined seven strikeouts.
It was a pitchers' duel on both sides to begin the day at Delta Dental Park, as both teams retired six straight batters in the first and second innings.
In the third inning, two Hartford batters reached base on walks. With two outs, a soft grounder by Andy Perez snuck past Ronald Rosario up the first base line. Both batters came around to score, and the Yard Goats led 2-0. The play was recorded as an error.
Franklin Arias led off the sixth inning with a single. Nate Baez followed that up with a home run to right-center field, his second of the season, tying the game 2-2.
With the game still tied in the eighth inning and Sea Dogs pitchers mowing down Yard Goats batters left and right, the middle of the order came through in a big way. Brooks Brannon drew a walk and successfully stole second on two outs, narrowly avoiding a tag on the throwdown from Jimmy Obertop. He was rewarded with a Ronald Rosario single up the first base line, delivering the Sea Dogs their first lead of the game, 3-2.
In his season debut for the Sea Dogs, Reidis Sena nearly pitched an immaculate inning to close out the final side of the no-hitter, dealing seven straight strikes before slightly missing the zone on a ball. A flyout to left field cemented the day in Sea Dogs history.
The Sea Dogs picked up the win with newly appointed Sea Dogs Acting Manager Kyle Sasala at the helm.
Portland is now 6-0 in one-run games this season.
RHP Reidis Sena (1-0, 0.00 ERA) earned the win in the scorebook with 2.0 perfect innings, while RHP Carlos Torres (2-1, 3.97 ERA) was tagged with his first loss of the season, allowing one run on one hit and one walk.
The Sea Dogs now travel to face the Somerset Patriots on the road for the second time this season. Tuesday night’s game will begin at 6:05 pm at TD Bank Ballpark.