By Paul Vangos –
On Saturday Evening, the Portland Sea Dogs visited the Hartford Yard Goats at Dunkin’ Park in the 5th game of their final regular season series in 2025. The Yard Goats, who entered this game with a 13-9 record against Portland this year, were hoping to keep pace with Somerset, leaders of the Eastern League by 1.5 game, and to increase a 1 game lead over the Sea Dogs. However, in the past two contests of the series, Portland dominated Hartford by the scores of 15-3 and 6-2.
Throughout the week, the Sea Dogs had scored a total of 14 runs in the first two innings of games, and that trend continued Saturday. Konner Eaton, making his second Double A start with the Yard Goats with a 1-0 record, struck out his first two batters before issuing a walk, and then allowing a 2-run homer to Portland catcher Ronald Rosario with a blast to the bleachers in left-center. Despite a quick start for the Sea Dogs, the Yard Goats would quickly tag a run off of Sea Dogs starter Dylan Wehunt, who went into Saturday’s matchup with a 2-7 record.
For the next three innings the two starters would go back and forth, trading strikeouts and scoreless innings between each other. Eaton would go through 5 frames, allowing only two hits and recording 13 punchouts, while Wehunt finished with 4 innings of work, giving up two hits alongside 5 strikeouts.
After a pitching change in the Bottom of the 5th, Hartford would threaten by loading the bases with 2 outs off of Portland reliever Cooper Adams with Jose Cordova coming to the plate. He lasered a grounder along the 3rd base line that appeared to be a surefire double until Sea Dogs 3rd baseman Ahbram Liendo laid out for a spectacular diving back-handed stop, then fired the throw to first to narrowly beat a headfirst-sliding Cordova for the 3rd out, saving at least two runs with this outstanding defensive stop rivaling the likes of the late-great Baltimore Oriole Brooks Robinson. After this play, Cordova would be ejected for arguing with the call made by the First Base Umpire.
Yard Goats reliever Blake Adams entered in the Top of the 6th, keeping Portland scoreless for 2 innings which allowed Hartford to tie the game when the always dangerous Cole Carrigg reached with a bunt single with two out in the Bottom of the 7th. After the speedy center fielder nabbed his second stolen base of the game, left fielder Jared Thomas drove Carrigg home with an RBI single, making the score 2-2. In the 8th inning, two new relievers entered the game: Welinton Herrera for Hartford and Jeremy Wu-Yelland for Portland.
After a scoreless frame, Marvin Alcantara stepped up to the plate to lead off the Top of the 9th. After falling into an 0-2 hole, Alcantara drove one over the left field wall for a 3-2 Sea Dogs lead. Herrera would get out of the 9th with Wu-Yelland looking to finish the game out on the mound in the Bottom of the 9th. However, Julio Carreras would return the favor and hit an almost identical homerun to tie the game at three. And on a night where both teams were evenly matched, it was only fitting that Extra Innings would decide the winner.
In the top half of the 10th, new reliever Austin Smith would get the first out, but an error by third baseman Braylen Wimmer put runners on the corners with one out. Left fielder Juan Chacon flew out for the second out, but deep enough to score the runner from third on a Sacrifice Fly. Smith ended any more damage, bringing up Hartford’s last hope in the bottom half of the 10th. Charlie Condon singled to put runners on first and third with no outs with Juan Guerrero up at bat. His ground ball went straight to shortstop Marvin Alcantara, who threw out the tying run at the plate. A Bryant Betancourt groundout moved runners to second and third with 2 outs, bringing up Braylen Wimmer with a chance to atone his error from the top of the inning.
Unfortunately, he could not deliver, grounding out and ending the game with a 4-3 triumph for the Sea Dogs. Portland managed only 3 hits all game but stole the win on behalf of their bullpen, culminating in a save for closer Reidis Sena. Jeremy Wu-Yelland earned the victory, and Austin Smith took the loss. It should be noted, however, that the run he gave up was unearned, meaning that it came as a result of a previous error. With the win, Portland has caught Hartford in the standings in the heat of the pennant race as the season winds down. Sunday’s series finale has more high stakes attached, so stay tuned!