Veteran corner infielder Mike Olt has seen players like third baseman Rafael Devers before.

“He’s extremely special,” Olt said. “You can’t believe how young he is, the way he plays. The way he acts. The way he understands the game. It’s fun to watch, for all of us.”

Devers, 20, the Boston Red Sox top prospect, knocked in two runs on two doubles and a single Tuesday night, helping the Sea Dogs to an 8-1 win over the Hartford Yard Goats (14-22), splitting a doubleheader at Hadlock Field.

In the first game, Yard Goats left-hander Sam Howard held Portland (18-15) to one hit in a 3-0 victory.

Olt, who has been to the major leagues with the Rangers, Cubs and White Sox, also broke out in the second game, batting in four runs with a double and home run.

Jacob Dahlstrand (2-1) allowed one run over five innings to pick up the win.

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The trainers were busy in both games.

In the first game, Portland Sea Dogs left fielder Danny Mars collided with center fielder Joseph Monge and eventually left the game. Sea Dogs Manager Carlos Febles said Mars was dizzy and still being evaluated.

In Game 2, Hartford’s Ashley Graeter lost his grip on the backswing, his bat hitting home plate umpire Richard Riley in the side of the head. Riley suffered a laceration but, otherwise, was reportedly fine.

First-base ump Mike Provine took over behind the plate.

Devers was 3 for 6 with a walk for the night. He’s batting .333 with a 1.007 OPS.

One of Devers’ outs was a deep line drive to center – exit velocity 109 mph – that center fielder Omar Carrizales caught with an over-the-shoulder effort.

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The line-out was on a change-up. Devers also lined a slider into right-center, and took a fastball the other way, off the left-field wall.

“He’s hitting what he’s getting, not trying to do too much,” Febles said.

Olt, 28, has been off to a slow start, but got his average over .200 (.206) and has four home runs, second best on the team (to Devers’ seven).

“We’ve been tinkering with a few things so it’s good to see the work pay off,” Olt said. “I’ve been through this. One of those things where I just grind through at-bats until something clicks.”

Deiner Lopez, promoted from Salem this month, was the perfect leadoff man in the second game, with two singles, two walks and four runs scored.

In the first game, Portland starter Teddy Stankiewicz (1-1) pitched a complete seven innings, allowing three runs on six hits. He struck out five.

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NOTES: Announced paid attendance was 4,272 … First baseman Nick Longhi was scratched from the lineup with a stiff neck … Portland reset its rotation so Travis Lakins, who was scheduled to make his Double-A debut Tuesday, will now start Wednesday’s game … Stankiewicz almost made the niftiest play of the game, racing to a dribbler down the first-base line in the fifth inning. He reached and slapped the ball to Olt at first base. The runner was called safe, but then Stankiewicz picked him off …

Before the gates opened, the line outside Hadlock stretched to the parking lot in front of the Expo as the first 1,000 fans received Jackie Bradley Jr. bobblehead dolls.

Kevin Thomas can be reached at 791-6411 or:

kthomas@pressherald.com

Twitter: @ClearTheBases


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