July 9, 2026 Portland Sea Dogs Game Notes
Published on July 9, 2026 under Eastern League (EL)
Portland Sea Dogs News Release
WEDNESDAY SPLIT After a Tuesday rainout, the Sea Dogs opened their series against the Fisher Cats Wednesday with a doubleheader split, taking game one 3-2, and losing in game two, 6-2. All five runs scored in game one came on five solo home runs. For the Sea Dogs, Johanfran Garcia, Miguel Bleis and Ronald Rosario all left the yard, while Nick Goodwin and Carter Cunningham provided the long balls for the Fisher Cats. RHP Patrick Halligan was crucial to the win, pitching 2.0 one-hit scoreless innings in relief with five strikeouts. He earned his fifth save of the season, tying Reidis Sena for most on the team. Portland had eight hits in game two, led by two-hit performances from both Jack Winnay and Johanfran Garcia, but stranded seven runners on base.
SHUTOUT CITY After taking down Hartford 6-0 two Sundays ago on the road, Portland beat Altoona 10-0 last Sunday at home, opening the second half of the season with back-to-back Sunday shutouts. Their seven total shutouts this season are the second most in the Eastern League (Richmond, 8). The last time the Sea Dogs recorded seven shutouts through 80 games of a season was 2019.
DOING FRANKLIN THINGS Red Sox top prospect Franklin Arias has a hit in 12 of his last 13 games, dating back to June 20th. He has eight multi-hit games in that span, bringing his season total to an even 30. On Wednesday, he hit his 17th home run of the season, his fifth against Altoona this year, and second of the series. Since June 20th, Arias is 23-for-50 (.460) with six doubles, four home runs, 12 RBI, and ten walks. His .332 overall average leads qualified players in the Eastern League.
WATCH OUT FOR WINNAY! The Sea Dogs' newest infielder, Jack Winnay, has is on a five-game hit streak with four multi-hit games. Winnay is batting .311 (14-for-45) with a hit in nine of his first 12 games as a Sea Dog, including ten runs scored, three doubles, two home runs, five RBI, and five walks. Winnay showed a propensity for walks (53) and home runs (11) through 56 first-half games with the High-A Greenville Drive. Winnay grew up in Newton, Mass., and was selected by the Red Sox, his childhood team, in the 13th round of the 2025 MLB First-Year Player Draft out of Wake Forest.
LIENDO IS ON FIRE Ahbram Liendo has reached base in 29 of his last 30 games with a hit in 14 of his last 15. He went 0-for-1 as a late substitute on July 2nd, breaking up the longest on-base streak for a Sea Dog this season (25, from 5/28-7/1). Since the beginning of June, Liendo is batting .318 (27-for-85) with six doubles, four home runs, 27 RBI, 12 walks, and eight steals. That average elevates to .385 with runners in scoring position. Liendo now has the third most RBI on the team with 41.
THIS DAY IN SEA DOGS HISTORY July 9, 2008 - The Sea Dogs scored 10 runs over three innings to thrash the New Hampshire Fisher Cats 11-1 on Wednesday night. Michael Bowden (9-4) fired five innings on five hits and one run. Bowden reached the 100 strikeout mark by fanning eight and improving his total to 102.
SEA DOGS VS. DANNY THOMPSON Thompson began the season with the Vancouver Canadiens and was assigned to the Fisher Cats on June 16th. He's given up four ER in five starts, and will face Portland for the first time.
ON THE MOUND RHP Gage Ziehl (4-2, 4.12 ERA) is set for his team-leading fourteenth start of the season for the Sea Dogs. Ziehl has given up two or fewer runs in ten of his 13 starts this season, including his last seven in a row. In his last outing against Altoona on July 2nd, Ziehl gave up one run on a solo homer, six total hits and one walk while striking out eight batters in 5.0 innings pitched. Ziehl was originally drafted by the Yankees in 2024, then traded to the White Sox in 2025, and traded again to the Red Sox in February 2026.
Eastern League Stories from July 9, 2026
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- Offense Booms for 15 Runs, Burgos Grand Slam Drives 15-8 Win - New Hampshire Fisher Cats
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- RubberDucks Squeak Past Baysox on Thursday Night in Akron - Chesapeake Baysox
- Fightin Phils Roll over Patriots on Thursday Night - Reading Fightin Phils
- Stu Strikes out Season-High in Yard Goats Loss to Rumble Ponies - Hartford Yard Goats
- Rudick Belts Three-Run Homer, Gordon Spins Season-Best 5 2/3 Innings as Binghamton Beats Hartford - Binghamton Rumble Ponies
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- Maddox Tosses Seven Strong, Sens Beat SeaWolves 8-3 to Win Fourth Straight - Harrisburg Senators
- Flying Squirrels Defeat Curve 5-3 Through Air Attack - Altoona Curve
- Sea Dogs Come up Short in 15-8 Loss to Fisher Cats - Portland Sea Dogs
- Two Ceballos Homers Propel Squirrels over Curve - Richmond Flying Squirrels
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- July 9, 2026 Portland Sea Dogs Game Notes - Portland Sea Dogs
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