Garcia, Mullins lead Sea Dogs to 9-4 win

Portland, Maine - The Portland Sea Dogs (19-21) got the bats going early and never slowed down in a dominant 9-4 win against the Reading Fightin Phils (20-21) on Wednesday night.

Four Sea Dogs recorded multi-hit games, led by Johanfran Garcia, who launched his sixth home run in a game where he reached base and scored three times by the end of the fifth inning. Nelly Taylor doubled twice and drove in a run, while Nate Baez had two hits and scored twice himself. Raudelis Martinez singled twice and scored, marking his first multi-hit game of the season.

The Sea Dogs started strong with three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Will Turner walked and reached third on a Baez double. Garcia’s first hit of the night, an RBI single, brought Turner home. Alcantara hit a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Baez, and Taylor’s first double of the night scored Garcia to cement the 3-0 lead.

The Sea Dogs gave up a pair of runs in the top of the second inning on one hit and four free passes as the Fightin Phils cut the deficit to one run, 3-2.

The score didn’t stay close for long, with Portland adding four more runs on three hits and an error in the second inning. Alcantara’s bases-clearing double off the Maine Monster was the highlight of the side, bringing home both Baez and Garcia for the second time each. Alcantara drove in a season-high three runs on the night.

In the fifth inning, Garcia’s solo homer extended the lead to 8-2.

Portland gave up two more runs in the 6th inning on an error and a sacrifice hit, before adding one more insurance run in the ninth inning. Caden Rose led off the inning with an electric double, diving into second base on a ball that ricocheted off second baseman Bryson Ware into shallow center field. Martinez advanced Rose with his second hit of the night, and Ahbram Liendo drove him home with a sacrifice fly, pushing the lead to 9-4.

Both starters earned decisions. LHP Hayden Mullins (3-1, 3.58 ERA) took the win, giving up two runs on a hit and three walks while striking out seven batters, including five in a row across the fourth and fifth innings. RHP Jean Cabrera (1-1, 5.63 ERA) was tagged with the loss after giving up seven runs, three earned, on six hits, two walks, a strikeout, and an error.

Tomorrow will be an early morning at the ballpark, with RHP Blake Wehunt (0-2, 6.17 ERA) facing off against RHP Luke Russo (5-1, 4.45 ERA) at 11:00 am at Delta Dental Park.