Sea Dogs beat Yard Goats, snap losing skid

The Portland Sea Dogs ended a three-game skid on Sunday, defeating the Hartford Yard Goats 3-1 at Hadlock Field to close out their homestand.

With the victory, the Sea Dogs improved to 29-27 on the season and pulled within a game and a half of Hartford in the Eastern League's Northeast Division standings. The Yard Goats, who had won the previous three meetings between the two clubs, dropped to 30-25. Portland has 12 games remaining in the first half of the season.

Starting pitcher Gage Ziehl turned in one of his strongest outings of the year, allowing just one run over six innings while striking out eight Hartford batters. The performance earned Ziehl his second win of the season.

Hartford drew first blood, jumping out to a 1-0 lead, but the Sea Dogs answered in the bottom of the fourth when catcher Ronald Rosario launched a solo home run to even the score. It marked Rosario's third home run of the year.

Portland took the lead for good in the fifth inning. Center fielder Nelly Taylor crossed the plate with what proved to be the game-winning run after third baseman Ahbram Liendo drove him in with an infield hit.

The Sea Dogs now hit the road for a six-game series against the Reading Fightin Phils before returning home to host the Somerset Patriots.