April 10, 2024 Sea Dogs Game Notes
April 10, 2024 - Eastern League (EL)
Portland Sea Dogs News Release
SEA DOGS FALL SHORT IN SERIES OPENER The Portland Sea Dogs (0-2) fall 9-8 to the Reading Fightin Phils (2-2) in the series opener despite thirteen combined hits. Seven Sea Dogs recorded a hit while five recorded multi-hit days against Reading pitching. The top three in the Portland lineup went a combined six-for-twelve on the night. Eddinson Paulino (2-5) and Max Ferguson (1-4) each collected their first Double-A hits. Brendan Cellucci fired 0.2 with a strikeout to escape a bases-loaded situation. Nick Yorke ignited the scoring early with an RBI single in the first to give Portland an early lead. Reading countered with two runs in the bottom of the inning after a wild pitch from Wikellman Gonzalez scored one along with a sacrifice fly from Caleb Ricketts to put Reading on top. Roman Anthony hit an RBI double in the top of the second to record his first double of the season before a two-run single from Kyle Teel put Portland back on top, 4-2. Marcus Lee Sang singled in the bottom of the inning to put Reading within one. In the third, Phillip Sikes scored on a wild pitch to give the Sea Dogs a 5-3 lead. Reading tied the game yet again with a solo homer off the bat of Carson Taylor along with an RBI single from Robert Moore. A collection of hits put Portland back on top in the top of the sixth after a sacrifice fly from Marcelo Mayer scored Ferguson. An RBI double from Teel (1) along with an RBI double from Yorke (1) gave Portland a three-run lead. Jose Rodriguez homered in the bottom of the inning and Reading trailed by two. On the second homer of the night for Carson Taylor, Reading regained the lead. The three-run blast by Taylor would conclude the scoring on either side and Reading took it, 9-8.
FORMER SEA DOG SUCCESS Former Sea Dog, Ceddanne Rafaela, and the Boston Red Sox sealed the deal on an eight-year contract with a team option for 2032 ahead of tonight's game. The 23 year old represents the youngest player on the Red Sox roster. Rafaela appeared in 131 games with Portland over the 2022-2023 seasons and produced highlight-reel defensive plays at both shortstop and center field. He was twice named the organizations minor league defensive player of the year while also being named the Sox' baserunner of the year last season. After beginning 2023 with Portland, Rafaela made his major league debut on 8/28/23 and went on to make the Opening Day roster in 2024.
SPRING SNOW Portland and Hartford were snowed out for the first two games of the 2024 regular season. This is the fifth time in the Sea Dogs' 31-year history that Opening Day has been postponed due to snow and sixth overall. The previous four postponements due to snow or field conditions due to melting snow came in 2001, 2003, 2007, & 2015. In 2017, the game was rained out.
PROMISING PROSPECTS IN PORTLAND The top three prospects in Boston's system (according to MLB.com and Baseball America) will begin the season in Portland with Marcelo Mayer (1), Roman Anthony (2), and Kyle Teel (3) headling the Opening Day Roster. Mayer appeared in 43 games with Portland in 2023 prior to a shoulder injury that ended his season in early August. Both Anthony and Teel were promoted to Portland for the final 10 games of last season. In their first glimpses of Double-A, Anthony hit .343 with four doubles, one homer, and three stolen bases while Teel recorded a .363 average with six doubles, two home runs, and three stolen bases. All three prospects were invited to Winter Weekend with the Red Sox in 2023 while also earning invitations to the inaugural Spring Breakout Game. Teel was named to the Spring Breakout First Team at the catcher position.
ROSTER REVIEW The Portland Sea Dogs will begin the season with 22 returning players from the 2023 season. Among the Opening Day roster, 9 players rank in the Red Sox top 30 prospect rankings according to MLB.com to enter the 2024 season.
EXTENSION FOR EPPERSON Chad Epperson will return for his third season as the Sea Dogs manager, becoming just one of four managers in franchise history to lead for three or more seasons. The Sea Dogs own a .540 winning percentage and 148-126 record with Epperson at the healm since he began in 2022.
THIS DAY IN SEA DOGS HISTORY: April 10, 2018 - Portland plays their first new-rules extra-innings game in team history, winning at Reading 7-5 by scoring all three runs with two outs in the 13th inning...Jake Cosart worked three innings to earn the win.
PITCHING PREVIEW: RHP Isaac Coffey will take the ball in game two of the series with Reading. Coffey has faced the Fightins twice in his professional career. His first start against Reading also represented his Double-A debut in 2023. On 6/21/23, Coffey tossed 2.0 innings allowing four runs on seven hits while walking two and striking out three. Coffey faced Reading once more on 9/7/23 where he tossed 2.0 innings allowing two runs on two hits while walking one and striking out three.
• Discuss this story on the Eastern League message board...
Eastern League Stories from April 10, 2024
- Frías Grand Slam Lifts Ducks Past Squirrels, 6-3 - Akron RubberDucks
- Baysox Shut Out In Wednesday Night Loss To Yard Goats - Bowie Baysox
- Benny Montgomery Powers the Yard Goats Past the Baysox, 8-0 - Hartford Yard Goats
- Five-Run Eighth Dooms Squirrels in 6-3 Loss - Richmond Flying Squirrels
- Lugo Launches Long Ball in 5-1 Loss - Portland Sea Dogs
- Lachlan Wells Twirls First Affiliated Win Since 2019 - Reading Fightin Phils
- Curve Come from Behind for Second-Straight Night in Wednesday Win - Altoona Curve
- Altoona Rallies past Senators Again - Harrisburg Senators
- Rhylan Rakes as Ponies Knock off SeaWolves for First Road Win of '24 - Binghamton Rumble Ponies
- April 10, 2024 Sea Dogs Game Notes - Portland Sea Dogs
- Binghamton's Late Run Bests Erie in Seesaw Game - Erie SeaWolves
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
