Sea Dogs from Venezuela reflect on playing in aftermath of devastating earthquake back home

 Portland Sea Dogs player Franklin Arias homers in the third inning against the Altoona Curve. (Staff photo by Derek Davis/Staff Photographer) PORTLAND — Rounding the bases following his third-inning home run Wednesday, Franklin Arias of the Portland Sea Dogs found it hard not to think of the earthquakes that ravaged his native Venezuela just a week ago.  He’s had to compartmentalize what happened back home while also focusing on his on-field play. “When you round the bases and you have that instant emotional reaction from the past week, it’s hard not to think about, but so long as I play this game with pride and with my country’s flag up high, it’s the best I can do at the moment,” Arias said through a translator.  Arias, a shortstop from Caracas, is one of the six Venezuelan players on Portland’s active roster.  More than [2,000 people died after a rare double earthquake](https://apnews.com/article/mexico-rescue-brigade-venezuela-earthquakes-15c3fbe436effe2879d96aac0a24a3bb) struck Venezuela on June 24, according to the Associated Press. “It’s very painful what happened back home, something that we obviously weren’t prepared for,” Arias said. “Part of being a baseball player is there’s always tomorrow, there’s a game tomorrow, and being able to go out there and try to show the people as best as we possibly can that the Venezuelan players are OK. They’re strong and they’re united, and sending prayers to our country. But it’s definitely a painful thing that you carry with you.” Arias finished 1 for 2 with two runs, two RBI and a home run Wednesday in Portland’s 7-6 victory over the Altoona Curve at Hadlock Field. Arias, a top prospect for the Boston Red Sox, also homered Tuesday night against Altoona. Advertisement The Curve erupted for five runs in the top of the first inning, but the Sea Dogs worked their way back into the game, scoring one run in the first inning and three apiece in the second and third. Ahbram Liendo, who is from Maracay, Venezuela, finished 1 for 3 with an RBI, two runs and a walk, extending his on-base streak to 25 games. He echoed his teammates’ sentiments, and has been working to keep things in perspective.  [](https://w2pcms.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/43675938_202600701_SeaDogs_3.jpg) Sea Dog players Ahbram Liendo, center, and Nate Baez, left, celebrate after scoring on a double by Brooks Brannon in the second inning during a game against the Altoona Curve. (Staff photo by Derek Davis/Staff Photographer) [Purchase this image](https://dev.mainetodaymedia.com/smugmug/upload.php?data=%7B%22src%22%3A%22https%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fwww.pressherald.com%5C%2Fwp-content%5C%2Fuploads%5C%2Fsites%5C%2F4%5C%2F2026%5C%2F07%5C%2F43675938_202600701_SeaDogs_3.jpg%22%2C%22caption%22%3A%22Sea%20Dog%20players%20Ahbram%20Liendo%2C%20center%2C%20and%20Nate%20Baez%2C%20left%2C%20celebrate%20after%20scoring%20on%20a%20double%20by%20Brooks%20Brannon%20in%20the%20second%20inning%20during%20a%20game%20against%20the%20Altoona%20Curve.%20%28Staff%20photo%20by%20Derek%20Davis%5C%2FStaff%20Photographer%29%22%7D) “I’m very fortunate with my family,” he said through a translator. “We are OK back home. But there’s still a lot of people suffering back home, underneath rubble, even to this day. So it’s a huge tragedy. I hate it for the people that are having to live through it at the moment. We’re here fortunate enough to play some baseball, but there’s bigger things in life.” Liendo added it’s been comforting having Venezuelan teammates to lean on. “Just the support that we have for one another,” he said, “having each other’s back, even little things like being able to speak the same language, and when things are going good on the field, supporting each other, when things are going bad, we’re still supporting each other on the field. But it’s a great blessing to have teammates from the same country.” The Sea Dogs (40-36) will play the third of six consecutive games against the Curve (34-43) at 6 p.m. Thursday. Portland will look to make it back-to-back wins fresh off Wednesday’s announcement that Arias and pitcher Anthony Eyanson were [named to this year’s All-Star Futures game roster](https://www.mlb.com/all-star/sunday/futures-game/roster).  Following this homestand, Portland will play six games at the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (38-36).  Copy the Story Link Tagged: [baseball](https://www.pressherald.com/tag/baseball/), [portland sea dogs](https://www.pressherald.com/tag/sea-dogs/) [](https://www.pressherald.com/author/jimmy-james) [Jimmy JamesStaff Writer](https://www.pressherald.com/author/jimmy-james) Jimmy covers sports for the Sun Journal, primarily contributing to the Varsity Maine team. He is from Hagerstown, Maryland, and graduated from the University of Richmond in May of 2025 with a B.A. in journalism. [More by Jimmy James](https://www.pressherald.com/author/jimmy-james)