NORWICH, Conn. — The Portland Sea Dogs split an Eastern League baseball doubleheader with the Hartford Yard Goats on Monday, winning the opener 6-0, but dropping game two 1-0.
In the first game, Portland’s Justin Haley (5-3) fired six scoreless innings on two hits and Ryan Court knocked in three runs. Haley, who walked just one and struck out six, beat Zach Jemiola (4-3) for the second straight start, earning his 13th career Double-A win.
Nate Freiman knocked in the game’s first run, leading off the second with a solo homer down the left-field line. The homer was Freiman’s third, but his second against Hartford.
In the sixth, Court extended his team-high hitting streak to 10 games, knocking home Andrew Benintendi with a single. The Sea Dogs added four runs in the seventh to put the game away. Wendell Rijo doubled home Aneury Tavarez, Andrew Benintendi provided a run-scoring groundout and Court delivered a two-run single.
In the second game, Hartford’s Pat Valaika hit a walk-off homer with two outs in the seventh inning for the win.The game featured 21 plate appearances by both teams, no runners left on base and no at-bats with a runner in scoring by position.
Johendi Jiminian (2-0) worked two scoreless on two hits to earn the win. Left-hander Jake Drehoff suffered the loss, allowing the walk-off to Valakia.
Hartford’s Konner Wade made his first start of the season and retired all 15 batters he faced. Portland’s Austin Maddox made his first Double-A start, yielding one hit over three innings and fanning four. Williams Jerez worked two perfect innings out of the bullpen.
Portland’s first baserunner was a lead-off single by Aneury Tavarez in the sixth. Tzu-Wei Lin added a one-out single in the seventh.