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Eastern League

Yard Dogs sweep a weekend pair from Portland

Ashley Graeter hit a key home run in Sunday's win over Portland.

Ashley Graeter hit a key home run in Sunday’s win over Portland.

PORTLAND, ME, April 17 – Solid starting pitching is boosting the Hartford Yard Goats. Hartford swept a pair of Eastern League games from the Portland Sea Dogs at Hadlock Field this weekend to improve to 8-3 and maintain their grip on first place in the Eastern Division.

On Sunday, Yard Goats pitcher Kyle Freeland (2-1) went seven innings, allowing just one unearned run and striking out five in an 8-1 decision. On Saturday, less than 24 hours after prevailing in a 17-inning marathon that began on Friday, Yard Goats starter Harrison Musgrave earned his first win of the season in a 6-2 victory. Musgrave allowed just two runs over seven innings, allowing three hits and striking out two.

Hartford has now won all three series they’ve played this season.

Portland led 1-0 until the seventh inning until Hartford catcher Ashley Grater homered to right-field off Sea Dog reliever Simon Mercedes to put the Yard Goats in front, 2-1. It was his first Eastern League home run. Hartford added three runs in the eighth inning and then scored another three runs in the ninth.

In the eighth inning, Hartford’s David Dahl drove in Pat Valaika with a double down the left field line.  Rosell Herrera followed with an RBI single, scoring Dahl.  Herrera scored on a double play ground ball by Grater.

Hartford scored a pair of runs in the ninth inning on a Dahl liner that skipped off the glove of left fielder Aneury Tavarez, bringing home Zach Osborne and Valaika.  Herrera followed with a run scoring single, scoring Dahl to make it 8-1. Herrera had two hits and reached base all five at-bats for Hartford.

On Saturday, the Yard Goats took a 3-0 lead in the fifth inning on a solo home run by Pat Valiaka. The Hartford DH cracked a long homer into the screen above the 37 foot “Maine Monster” in left field. 

Portland scored twice in the sixth to cut the lead to one run, 3-2. However, the Yard Goats added a run in the eighth on Zach Osborne’s RBI single and two more in the eighth on Herrera’s single and Ryan McMahon’s RBI double to go ahead 6-2.

The Yard Goats begin a 3-game series against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Toronto Blue Jays affiliate) on Monday night in Manchester, New Hampshire (5:35 PM).  RHP Zach Jimiola will start for Hartford while RHP Jeremy Gabryszweski pitches for New Hampshire.  The game will be broadcast on News Radio 1410 WPOP.

Since 2009, the Collinsville Press has been providing award-winning coverage of sports and news in the Farmington Valley and across Connecticut.

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