Portland 5-7-0Hartford 3-8-3WP: Kyle Hart (6-5)LP: Ryan Castellani (5-5)S: Jordan Weems (2)HR: Rodgers (17), Ramos (7), Betts (2)T- 2:41A- 6,850
Portland 5-7-0
Hartford 3-8-3
WP: Kyle Hart (6-5)
LP: Ryan Castellani (5-5)
S: Jordan Weems (2)
HR: Rodgers (17), Ramos (7), Betts (2)
T- 2:41
A- 6,850
HARTFORD- Tony Renda's two run-scoring doubles and clutch pitching by Kyle Hart and two relievers lifted the Portland Sea Dogs to a 5-3 win over the Hartford Yard Goats Friday night, before 6,850. The Red Sox affiliate has captured the first three games of the five-game series, after losing nine straight to the Yard Goats. Hartford is on a four-game losing streak.
The game was played before the 26th sellout of the season at Dunkin' Donuts Park. It was also the ninth time this season the ballpark has reached capacity. Hartford has drawn 259,639 this year.
Roberto Ramos gave Hartford (41-44) an early 1-0 advantage with a home run into the upper deck in right-center, his seventh in 14 games as a Yard Goat. Portland (34-51) tied the contest in the second inning with an unearned run and took the lead for good in the third with runs scoring on an error and Renda's RBI-double. Renda, who has six RBI and six hits in the series, delivered an RBI double in the fifth, before Jordan Betts increased the lead to 5-1 with a sixth-inning home run.
The Yard Goats battled back on a two-run home run in the sixth by Brendan Rodgers, his 17th round-tripper of the season. But after the next two batters reached base on singles, Hart struck out two men to end the threat. Former Red Sox first round (2013) draft pick Trey Ball then retired six of the seven batters he faced and Jordan Weems tossed a perfect ninth to seal the deal for Portland. Weems has a win and save so far in the series.
Yard Goats starter Ryan Castellani suffered the loss, allowing four runs - two unearned - on three hits. He walked four and struck out six. Brian Mundell and Mylz Jones each had two hits for Hartford. Renda's two RBI-doubles paced Portland's seven-hit attack. Hart, who struck out a season-high eight, allowed three runs on seven hits to improve to 6-5. He walked one.
Game four of the five game series is Saturday night at 6:05. RHP Rico Garcia makes his Dunkin' Donuts Park debut for the Yard Goats, while LHP Matt Kent will pitch for the Red Sox-affiliate. The game will be televised on Vantage Sportsnet, broadcast on AM 1410 WPOP and streamed on newsradio1410.iheart.com and MiLB.com.
