Despite having to face off against multiple rehabbing Red Sox pitchers, the Hartford Yard Goats still took four out of six games last week against the Portland Sea Dogs. After losing the first two games with identical scores of 5-7, the Yard Goats rebounded to win four straights to notch their third consecutive series to start the year.
The series did not get off to a smooth start for Hartford in game one. While they put up three runs against former MLB All-Star Lucas Giolito, who is working his way back from an internal brace procedure, Hartford starter Jack Mahoney allowed five runs in just one inning of work. Hartford reliever Evan Shawver, who is out to an incredibly rough start to his season, allowed two more in the second. Portland only recorded one hit over the next seven innings, but their quick start was enough to maintain the lead throughout.
Game two saw another rehabbing big leaguer, starter Bryan Bello, getting the start for Portland. The young righty gave up four earned runs, but did strike out eight Hartford batters. Yard Goats catcher Bryant Bethancourt hit his first home run of the season in the first inning, plating three. The backstop also had an RBI single in the fifth. The home run was Hartford’s only extra base hit of the game. Two-time American League Reliever of the Year Liam Hendriks also made an appearance for Portland. Working his way back from an August 2023 Tommy John procedure, the Australian pitched a scoreless inning.
Fresh off being named the Eastern League Pitcher of the Week for April 7-13, Blake Adams made another strong start for Hartford. Pitching five innings, he allowed three runs while striking out eight. The 24-year-old now has 19 strikeouts against only one walk in 10 innings. A former 13th round draft pick, he could earn a promotion to the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes in short order if he can maintain his strong start.
The Yard Goats began to turn it around in game three, winning 6-3 on the back of a strong start from Connor Staine. The righty secured his first win of the season after going five innings of three run ball. Portland’s runs came off of two home runs, a first inning solo shot from shortstop Mikey Romero and a second-inning two run homer for left fielder Karson Simas. After that, Staine and the Yard Goats bullpen combined for seven straight innings of scoreless work.
Portland’s defense was their undoing in this one, as three of Hartford’s six runs were unearned. Romero made an error at short that allowed two runs to score, and catcher Enderso Lima made a throwing error trying to catch a base runner stealing that brought in another.
Though Portland’s defensive woes were key to Hartford’s victory in game three, they were nothing compared to their struggles in game four. The Yard Goats won their second straight game with a score of 11-4. Nine of those 11 Hartford runs were unearned.
It all unraveled for Portland in the bottom of the seventh. After five innings of two run ball from starter Tyler Uberstine, Wyatt Olds came on in relief and pitched a scoreless sixth. He came back out in the seventh and walked the first batter before an error by third basemen Ahbram Liendo turned a potential double play ball into runners on first and second. After a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners, another error by Romero allowed a run to score and put runners on the corners. It was one of two errors for Romero in game four.
After a stolen base for center fielder Cole Carrigg put runners on second and third, a Dyan Jorge single brought both runners in to score. A single and a walk loaded the bases and reliever Zach Bryant came and replaced Olds. The move did not work out in Portland’s favor. The first batter Bryant faced shortstop Jose Torres, hit a grand slam to take the score to 9-3. Two more RBI singles would bring the score to 11-3. Liendo hit a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth, but all that did was make the final score a bit less lopsided.
Despite the fireworks show scheduled for after the game, the bats were much less explosive in game six. The Yard Goats took a 4-2 victory in a much closer contest. Hartford’s Mason Albright, another pitcher who could soon earn a promotion to Triple-A Albuquerque, got his first win of the year after allowing only two runs over six innings. Top Red Sox prospect David Sandlin took the loss after allowing four runs in four innings.
Portland started the scoring on Ronald Rosario RBI single in the first and picked up another run on a Tyler Miller solo shot in the fourth. The Yard Goats scored three in the third on an RBI triple from right fielder GJ Hill and two run home run from first baseman Zach Kokoska. Shortstop Zac Kent singled in a run an inning later. That 4-2 score would hold the rest of the game, as the two teams’ bullpens combined for seven innings of scoreless baseball.
After a pre-game egg hunt with the Easter Bunny in attendance, game seven saw Giolito making his second start of the week. Despite a better performance than in game one (three earned over five innings), that was enough for the Yard Goats to win the final game of the series 3-1. Carrigg homered in the third, and Jorge and center fielder Benny Montgomery added RBI doubles. Mahoney rebounded somewhat after his rough start in game one, not allowing a run but also walking five batters. So far in 2025, he has walked almost 7.5 hitters per nine innings.
Portland’s only run came on an eighth inning home run from Jhostynxon Garcia. Connelly Early pitched well for Portland as the bulk pitcher behind Giolito, as he did in game one.
After a strong finish to their second homestand, the Yard Goats sit at 9-5 on the season. They will take their four-game winning streak on the road this week as they look to win their fourth consecutive series to start the season. They will be traveling to Somerset, N.J. to take on the Somerset Patriots, an affiliate of the New York Yankees. It is a rematch of Hartford’s opening series, in which the yard Goats took two of three at home.