Yard Goats Pitchers Set Franchise Record with 19 Strikeouts in Win

WP- Juan Mejia (1-0)

LP- Jacob Webb (7-3)

S- Stephen Jones (4)

T- 2:46

PORTLAND, ME- Reliever Stephen Jones struck out Blaze Jordan in the tenth inning with runners at second and third, and the Hartford Yard Goats held on for a 5-3 win over the Portland Sea Dogs Wednesday night in front of 7,201. It marked the Yard Goats' third straight win and second straight in extra innings. Hartford is 2 1/2 games out of first place in the tight EL Northeast Division race. Yard Goats pitchers set a franchise record with 19 strikeouts, with starter Joe Rock fanning nine, and the bullpen recording 10 strikeouts in the final four innings.

After tying the game 3-3 in the eighth inning on an RBI-double by Grant Lavigne, the Yard Goats scored two runs in the tenth without a hit or without a ball leaving the infield. Designated runner Niko Decolati advanced to third, when Jacob Webb’s ball four pitch to Drew Romo was wild, and he scored on Bladimir Restituyo’s groundout to second. A hit batsman and walk set the stage for Jordan Beck’s fielder’s choice groundout to third, scoring Romo with an insurance run.

The last of the tenth also held drama. Jones hit the first batter he faced, placing runners on first and second. After striking out the next two hitters, he threw a wild pitch on an 0-2 count, placing two runners in scoring position. Jones recovered to get the game-ending strike out and notch his fourth save.

Reliever Juan Mejia, just called up from Spokane, won his Yard Goats debut, pitching two scoreless innings that included five strikeouts.

Yard Goats starter Joe Rock turned in a solid start, tossing six innings of two-run baseball. He scattered five hits, walked one and struck out nine.

Down 1-0 in the third, Hartford took a 2-1 lead against Portland starter Sterling Sharp on a single by Romo and a 364-foot home run by Kyle Datres atop the Maine monster in left, his 12th home run of the season.

Romo and Restituyo each had two hits to pace the Yard Goats attack.

Game three of the six-game series is Thursday at noon. RHP Connor Van Scoyoc will start for Hartford, while RHP Hunter Dobbins gets the assignment for the Red Sox affiliate. The game can be followed on 1410 AM, 100.9 FM, the iHeart app or milb.tv. The Yard Goats return home on Tuesday, Aug. 15 at 7:10 p.m. to host the New Hampshire Fisher Cats. It will be a Kids Los Chivos Jersey Giveaway night.