Portland 6-6-2Hartford 9-11-0WP- Jason García (2-1)LP- Trevor Kelley (0-2)S- Scott Griggs (2)T- 2:50A- 6,726
Portland 6-6-2
Hartford 9-11-0
WP- Jason García (2-1)
LP- Trevor Kelley (0-2)
S- Scott Griggs (2)
T- 2:50
A- 6,726
HARTFORD- Scott Burcham's bloop single down the right field line knocked in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning, lifting the Hartford Yard Goats to a 9-6 victory over the Portland Sea Dogs Saturday night, before a sellout crowd of 6,726 at Dunkin' Donuts Park. It was the Yard Goats team-record 10th straight home victory and pushed the club to a season-high four games over .500 (16-12). Hartford is now 8-2 against Portland (7-17) this season.
Burcham, added to the roster on Friday from extended spring training, was making his first start. He went 2-for-3 at the plate, adding an RBI-double to his game winning hit. The Yard Goats tacked on two insurance runs in the eighth inning uprising on a throwing error by reliever Trevor Kelley.
Hartford jumped out to an early 3-0 lead on an upper deck three-run home run to right by Dom Nuñez in the third inning. Burcham increased the edge to 4-0 on an RBI-double off the netting in right in the fourth inning. All the runs came against Portland left-hander Dedgar Jimenez, who gave up six hits, walked three and struck out three.
The Red Sox affiliate chipped away against Yard Goats starter Ryan Castellani, who hit the first two batters to start the fifth inning. After a Danny Mars' single loaded the bases, Jeremy Rivera walked to bring home one run. Cole Sturgeon's fielder's choice ground out cut the lead in half. Castellani was lifted after five innings, allowing two runs on two hits and three walks.
Portland tied the game in the sixth inning on a two-run home run to left by Nick Lovullo, the son of Arizona Diamond Backs manager and former Red Sox bench coach Torey Lovullo. It was Lovullo's first Double-A home run and it came off of Guilford, CT native Craig Schlitter.
The Yard Goats got the lead back in the sixth on RBI-singles by Omar Carrizales and Wes Rogers, but Portland tied it in the eighth inning on a two-run double by Austin Rei, off of Jason García, who ended up with the win. Scott Griggs pitched a scoreless ninth to notch his second save.
Nunez had a homer, two hits and three RBI and Burcham two hits and two RBI to pace Hartford's 11-hit attack. Garrett Hampson and Sam Hilliard each had two hits, while Carrizales added a hit and three runs scored. Hartford had four stolen bases to add to their league-leading total of 43.
The Yard Goats go for a sweep of the four-game series on Sunday afternoon at Dunkin' Donuts Park, starting at 1:05. RHP Jesus Tinoco will pitch for the Yard Goat. The Sea Dogs will send LHP Matt Kent to the mound. The game will be televised on Vantage Sportsnet, broadcast on AM 1410 WPOP and streamed on newsradio.1410.com and MiLB.com.
