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With 15 hits, Portland finally gets a win over the Yard Goats

Yard Goats catcher Chris Rabago had a home run in Thursday afternoon’s loss in Portland.

PORTLAND, ME, May 24 – Enough.

The Portland Sea Dogs finally had enough of the Hartford Yard Goats. Portland had 15 hits and all nine starters had at least one hit as the Sea Dogs snapped a nine-game losing streak against the Yard Goats with a 12-3 Eastern League victory at Hadlock Field Thursday afternoon.

Hartford (25-21) has won 11 of 14 games between the two teams this season.

Leading by one run in the third inning, 3-2, the Sea Dogs, the Double A affiliate of the Red Sox, sent 14 men to the plate and erupted for eight runs on eight hits. Four walks from Hartford pitchers Chris Jensen and Parker French helped Portland. The big hit in the inning was a three-run home run from Portland’s Josh Ockimey and a two-run double from Nick Lovullo.

Jensen, making his first start for Hartford, failed to retire a batter in the third inning.  He allowed 10 runs on 10 hits and walked three.  French, making his first relief appearance as a professional, permitted two runs in four innings of work, walking six and striking out three.   Hartford pitching allowed a season-high 11 walks, one shy of the franchise record.

Portland (16-28) jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning on a three-run home run by Jantzen Witte.

The Yard Goats scored two runs in the third on a home run by catcher Chris Rabago into the screen above the “Maine Monster” and on an RBI-single by infielder Brendan Rodgers.

But Sea Dogs starter Teddy Stankiewicz settled down after that inning.  He pitched a season-high seven innings, allowing two runs on five hits.  The Red Sox second round draft choice in 2013 tied a season-high with seven strike outs.

Omar Carrizales and Rodgers each had two hits and an RBI to pace Hartford.  Jeremy Rivera had three hits and an RBI, while four Portland players each had two hits.

The Yard Goats head to New Hampshire for five games in four days beginning on Friday night.

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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