The Yard Goats finish up the 2021 schedule with six home games against the Portland Sea Dogs, the Red Sox’s Double-A affiliate, at Dunkin’ Donuts Park this week.
It’s been a long season for manager Chris Denorfia and the Yard Goats, who are 37-75, last in Double-A Northeast’s Northeast Division. The Colorado Rockies stocked the team with a lot of newcomers, and it showed, though several prospects have moved up, including Taylor Snyder, Elehuris Montero and Ryan Rolison.
Portland is in second place in the division with a 63-45 record, which includes a 12-6 record against Hartford. The Sea Dogs have won seven in a row as they surge toward a playoff spot, but trail first-place Somerset by 3 1/2 games. Portland has had seven games canceled due to rain or COVID-19 since Sept. 1.
Here is a breakdown of the last homestand:
Hartford’s probable starters and promotions
Tuesday, 7:05 p.m.: Hartford RHP Matt Dennis
Promotion: Full size wooden bat for first 1,000 kids, plus Baseball Bingo
Wednesday, 7:05 p.m.: Hartford RHP Karl Kauffmann
Promotion: Yard Goats purple and black cap for the first first 2,000 fans. It’s also Bark in the Park. Bring your pup to the game, a special ticket is required, call the box office for more information.
Thursday, 7:05 p.m.: Hartford RHP Nate Harris
Promotion: Los Chivos de Hartford cap for the first 2,000 fans, as a part of the Los Chivos de Hartford celebration.
Friday, 7:05 p.m.: Hartford RHP Michael Baird
Promotion: Pride Night at Dunkin’ Donuts Park. An inclusive celebration with the LGBTQ community and Pride wristbands.
Saturday, 6:05 p.m.: Hartford RHP David Hill
Promotion: Postgame fireworks followed by a performance by Hip Hop legend Funk Flex. Free to anyone with a ticket to the game.
Sunday, 1:05 p.m.: Hartford TBA
Promotion: Pennant giveaway. Kids can run the bases after the game.
How to watch/listen
Radio — FM 100.9 or AM 1410 WPOP; Video Stream — MiLB.tv; Internet — newsradio1410.iheart.com (iHeartRadio app)
Montes finishing strong
Yard Goats infielder Coco Montes enters the final week of the minor league regular season leading all of Double-A with 35 doubles. In addition to trying to set a single-season record for doubles (Dillon Thomas had 37 in 2016), Montes is a close second in the league in hits with 106 and extra base hits with 51. He’s hitting .258 with 13 homers and 56 RBIs, a .769 on-base plus slugging.
Moving up
With the coming of September, three more former Yard Goats were called up to the major leagues with the Rockies, including righthander Ryan Feltner, who pitched to a 2.85 ERA in Hartford this season, righthander Julian Fernandez, who had a 3.45 ERA, and infielder Colten Welker, who played 98 games for the Yard Goats in 2019.
About the Sea Dogs
Triston Casas, the No. 2 prospect in the Boston organization who played for Team USA in the Tokyo Olympics, is back in the Sea Dogs lineup hitting .286 with 12 homers and 48 RBIs in 71 games. Several of the Red Sox’s top 25 prospects are with him, including righthanders Bryan Bello, Bryan Mata, Josh Winckowski and Thaddeus Ward, lefthanders Jay Groome and Chris Murphy, catcher Ronaldo Hernandez and infielder Cameron Cannon. Murphy is the league’s current pitcher of the week.
Portland’s baseball history
Maine had a Triple-A franchise, the Maine Guides, who played in Old Orchard Beach from 1984-88. The state regained minor league baseball with Portland in 1994, established as an affiliate for the expansion Florida Marlins. In 2003, the Red Sox made it their Double-A home, 107 miles from Fenway Park.
Dom Amore can be reached at damore@courant.com.
