It took just a few hours for the Portland Sea Dogs modest two-game winning streak to become a two-game losing streak. After beating Harrisburg in a pair of games earlier this week, the Sea Dogs dropped both ends of the doubleheader to the Senators on Friday night, 7-2, and 3-1, in front of 5,049 fans at Hadlock Field.

The second game went extra innings, with Harrisburg (24-14) scoring a pair of runs in the top of the eighth to take the lead. Jackson Cluff led off and singled off reliever Frank German, moving Dondrei Hubbard, who started the inning on second base, to third. K.J. Harrison’s sacrifice fly to right scored Hubbard. After Jacob Rhinesmith was hit by a pitch, Jecksson Flores’ bunt single scored Cluff for a 3-1 lead.

After allowing just three earned runs combined over his first five starts, Portland’s Game 2 starter Brandon Walter struggled in the two starts leading into Friday, allowing 11 earned runs over seven inning to see his ERA balloon from 0.93 to 3.50. Friday night, Walter regained the form he showed in his early starts. The lefty struck out 11 over seven innings and allowed four hits. The one run Walter surrendered came on Cluff’s solo home run to right field with one out in the fifth inning.

Portland (17-20) took a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Kole Cottam led off with a double, advanced to third base on a wild pitch, and scored on Hudson Potts’ groundout to second base.

Dakody Clemmer earned the win in Game 2, his first of the season for the Senators with two innings of scoreless relief of starter Steven Fuentes. Matt Brill retired the Sea Dogs in order in the eighth inning for the save. Koss had a pair of hits for the Sea Dogs. German fell to 3-1.

In Game 1, Harrisburg managed baserunners in just two of the seven innings, but the Senators took advantage of each opportunity. In the second inning, Hubbard led off with a double, then scored on Mitch Longo’s home run to right field for a 2-0 lead.

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The Senators added five runs in the top of the sixth. With one out, Jake Alu and Wilson Garcia hit back-to-back doubles. Portland starter Victor Santos had retired 11 consecutive hitters before Alu’s double, but at 99 pitches after facing Garcia, was showing fatigue and was pulled for reliever Darin Gillies. Santos struck out four in his 5 1/3 innings, including the side in the fifth. Santos allowed four hits, three going for extra bases, and walked one.

Recently sent back to Portland from Triple-A Worcester, Gillies struggled, allowing an RBI triple to Hubbard, the first batter he faced, before a single to Longo and a walk to Jack Dunn.

After an out, Brady Lindsly’s two-run double gave Harrisburg a 7-1 lead.

Harrisburg starter Ronald Herrera threw a complete game for the win. A journeyman from Venezuela who began his pro career in 2012 and pitched in two games for the New York Yankees in 2017, Herrera allowed six hits while striking out five and walking none in his seven innings.

Portland got a run in the bottom of the second with two outs, when Koss tripled down the right field line and scored on Tyler Dearden’s RBI single. Pedro Castellanos’ solo home run to lead off the bottom of the seventh capped Portland’s scoring.

Nick Sogard hit two singles in game one for Portland, while Koss added a seventh inning single to go with his earlier triple.


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