July 31, 2022 Sea Dogs Game Notes
Published on July 31, 2022 under Eastern League (EL)
Portland Sea Dogs News Release
SATURDAY'S GAME - The Sea Dogs lead most of the way, but fell to the Yard Goats 7-5 in extra innings on Sunday at Dunkin' Donut Park. The Sea Dogs jumped out in front in the top of the first. Christian Koss started the action with a two-out, infield single. Hudson Potts powered a double into the right-center field gap, driving in Koss and giving the Sea Dogs a 1-0 lead. Hartford answered in the bottom of the second inning. Michael Toglia led off the inning with a solo shot to center, tying the game 1-1. The scoring for both teams went quiet until the fifth inning. Portland plated two runs in the top half of the inning, starting off with an infield single from Ceddanne Rafaela. Koss stepped up to the plate and unleashed a line drive home run to center. It was Koss' twelfth of the season and put the Sea Dogs back in the league, 3-1. One run came around to score for the Yard Goats, as they chipped away at the Sea Dogs lead in the bottom of the fifth. Brenton Doyle led off the inning with a double to left. Willie McIver flied out to right, advancing Doyle to third. One out late, Isaac Collins grounded a base hit to center, bringing in Doyle and making it a 3-2 game. The Yard Goats tied the game in the bottom of the sixth. Kyle Datres led off the frame with a solo homer to right-center. It was his eighth homer of the year and tied the game at 3-3. Both teams went scoreless for the next three frames, forcing the game into extra innings. The Sea Dogs were able to gain the lead in the top of the tenth. Koss was the extra innings runner at second base. Hudson Potts went deep to left-center, bringing in himself and Koss, and handing the Sea Dogs a 5-3 lead. Hartford didn't go down quietly in the bottom of the tenth. Isaac Collins was the placed runner at second. Collins advanced to third on a fly ball from Hunter Stovall. Datres lined a base hit into right and scored Collins, cutting the Sea Dogs lead down to 5-4. Aaron Schunk followed with a three-run homer to left, walking off the Sea Dogs 7-5.
KOSS KEEPS CRUSHING - Christian Koss has been one of the offensive leaders for the Sea Dogs since the season began. On the season, Koss is batting .286 with 12 homers and 61 RBI, but in the second half, he decided to kick it into gear. So far in the back half of the season, Koss has hit for a .333 average (35-for-105) with six doubles, six homers, and 24 RBI while scoring 25 runs himself. He has collected nine multi-hit games in the second half, including three of the games during the current series in Hartford.
POTTS POWERS THROUGH - Hudson Potts crushed a home run in the top of the 10th inning last night. It was his 11th homer of the season. In July he has homered three times and knocked in eight runs, all while hitting .286. Saturday was perhaps his best performance of the month, going 3-for-5 with a double, a home run, and three RBI, while scoring one run of his own.
VAN BELLE KEEPS SHOVING - Brian Van Belle tossed 5.1 innings of one-run baseball in Hartford on Saturday. This outing added to his solid month of July, where he has posted a 3.62 ERA with a 2-1 record. He also struck out 30 batters over the month while limiting his walks to just two. Since being added to the Sea Dogs in June, Van Belle has issued just four walks and has stuck out 51 batters. His WHIP sits at 1.06 and opponents are batting .255 against him.
THIS DATE IN SEA DOGS HISTORY - July 31, 2008 - The Sea Dogs scored the game's final eight runs to take the series finale from the Fisher Cats, 13-6, Thursday night in Manchester, NH. Zach Daeges led the 18-hit attack, going 4-for-5, 4 RBI and reaching base five times. Dave Gassner (4-5) allowed all six runs in the second inning but managed to pitch five innings and earn the win for Portland.
PITCHING MATCHUP - The right-hander Bryan Mata will take his 1.42 ERA to the mound today against the Yard Goats. Over 19.0 inning so far this year with Portland, Mata has allowed just three earned runs. He surrendered just one earned run over his first four outings, dropping his ERA down to 0.55 on July 15. He is coming off his shortest start of the season, going just 2.2 innings at Hartford on Tuesday. That outing was the only time that he as given up multiple earned runs in the same game.
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- July 31, 2022 Sea Dogs Game Notes - Portland Sea Dogs
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