PORTLAND, Maine — The Portland Sea Dogs used two big innings and swept both ends of a doubleheader over the Hartford Yard Goats on Friday night, winning game one 6-2 and game two 10-2, in Eastern League action at Hadlock Field.
Portland plated four runs in the first inning to jump ahead in game one. After an RBI single by Tim Roberson that scored two thanks to an error, Nate Freiman hit a two-run homer off of the Dunkin’ Donuts video board to make it 4-0.
Hartford cut the deficit in half on a two-run single by Rosell Herrera in the third inning, but Portland answered in the bottom of the third on back-to-back homers by Roberson and Freiman.
Portland’s Kevin McAvoy (W, 5-3) struck out a career-high eight in the victory, allowing just two runs on six hits in five innings with three walks. Ty Buttrey closed out the game with two scoreless innings.
The Sea Dogs used a four-run inning once more to take the lead in game two.
Cody Decker led off the second inning with a solo homer over the Maine Monster off of Konner Wade (L, 0-2). Later in the inning Aneury Tavarez scored on a safety squeeze by Jake Romanski, then with two outs Yoan Moncada hit a two-run double to put Portland ahead 4-0.
Portland led 5-1 entering the sixth, then added five more runs, capped off by a three-run homer by Moncada into the US Cellular Pavilion. Moncada tied a career-high with five RBIs in game two.
Nik Turley was strong in the spot start for Portland, allowing a run on three hits in four innings while walking two and striking out six. Taylor Grover (1-0) earned his first career Double-A win with two scoreless innings of relief.