PORTLAND, Maine — Three Portland Sea Dogs players who went to Tokyo to play for their countries in the Olympics are back at Hadlock Field as the team enters a two-week homestand.
Triston Casas plays first base for the Sea Dogs, and played for Team USA, leading the tournament with eight RBI and tied for the lead with three home runs. He helped the team win a silver medal.
Pitcher Denyi Reyes and catcher Roldani Baldwin played for the Dominican Republic and brought home the country's first-ever Olympic medal in baseball: the bronze.
"We made history for the Dominican Republic," Reyes said. "When I have my son, he'll be the first generation to see that medal. I have the photos, the videos -- that's forever."
"I knew there was going to be a lot of pressure on myself and our team," said Casas. "It was quite an honor."
Although, Casas acknowledged his disappointment in not winning gold.
"I went in there to win gold and we came back with silver which was not our goal, so I'm a little disappointed with that," said Casas.
On August 3, Team USA and the Dominican Republic faced off, with Reyes on the mound. Casas hit a two-run homer off of him in the first inning, but Reyes pitched another five scoreless innings after that.
"He hits the changeup pretty good," said Reyes. "I tried to throw at the plate. I missed the pitch and s--t happens."
Casas said he and Reyes did not have much friendly ribbing about the homer.
"I feel like my teammates did it for me. They let him know that I got him pretty good," said Casas. "I'm really proud of the way he came back after that hit and really shut us down."
Casas said he had only ever faced Reyes once before: during spring training. That was a hit, another home run.
A fourth Sea Dog, Joey Meneses, played for Team Mexico but did not return to Portland after the Olympics. He was promoted to the Worcester Red Sox.
Chief Baseball Officer for the Boston Red Sox, Chaim Bloom, is in Portland during the first week of the Sea Dogs two-week homestand: the first one since the Olympics ended.
WATCH FULL INTERVIEWS WITH THE PORTLAND SEA DOGS OLYMPIANS BELOW:
Triston Casas - 1B
Roldani Baldwin - C
Denyi Reyes - P