Senators sweep doubleheader from Sea Dogs

Portland, Maine – Brandon Walter struck out a season-high 11 batters as the Portland Sea Dogs (17-20) dropped both games of the double-header, 7-2 and 3-1, against the Harrisburg Senators (18-18) on Friday at Hadlock Field in Portland, Maine.

In the first game, the Senators got the scoring started in the top of the second inning against Sea Dogs starter Victor Santos. Dondrei Hubbard led off the inning with a single. Mitch Longo hit a two-run homer to right, giving Harrisburg a 2-0 lead.

Portland responded in the bottom of the second with Harrisburg starter Ronald Herrera. With two outs in the inning, Christian Koss tripled down the right-field line. Tyler Dearden drove him with a single to right, bringing the score to 2-1.

Harrisburg got back on the scoreboard in the top of the sixth with Santos still on the mound. With one out, Jake Alu doubled. Wilson Garcia clubbed a double of his own, driving in Alu, expanding the Senators lead to 3-1. Justin Connell entered to pinch run for Garcia and came around to score on a Dondrei Hubbard triple, making it 4-1. Harrisburg added two more runs, expanding their lead to 7-1.

Pedro Castellanos led off the bottom of the ninth with a solo homer. His fifth of the season and third of the series, making the score 7-2. That was all the offense the Sea Dogs had in the first game, falling 7-2.

Ronald Herrera (3-2) tossed a 7.0 inning complete game, giving up two runs on six hits while striking out five in his third win of the year. Santos (3-4) pitched 5.1 innings, allowing four runs on four hits, walking one, and striking out six in his fourth loss of the campaign.

In the second game, Portland jumped out to a lead in the second inning. Kole Cottam led off with a double and Christian Koss singled. The runners moved up to second and third on a wild pitch and Hudson Potts drove in Cottam with a groundout to take the 1-0 lead.

Harrisburg tied up the game in the top of the fifth inning. Jackson Cluff stepped in with one out and hit a solo homer to right. It was his second of the season and tied the game at 1-1.

Both teams couldn’t muster up a run forcing extra innings. Dondrei Hubbard was placed at second base as the extra-innings runner. Cluff singled and K.J. Harrison brought in Hubbard with a sacrifice fly to give the Senators a 2-1 lead. Jecksson Flores singled later in the inning, bringing in Cluff and expanding the lead to 3-1. The Sea Dogs failed to bring in a run in the bottom of the eighth, losing in extra innings 3-1.

Dakody Clemmer (1-0) tossed 2.0 scoreless innings, allowing one hit, walking one, and striking out one in his first win of the season. Frank German (3-1) pitched 1.0 inning, surrendering two runs (one earned) on two hits in his first loss of the year.

The Sea Dogs and Senators play the penultimate game of the series on Saturday with a 1:00 PM first pitch. Both starters for tomorrow’s game to be announced.