MANCHESTER, N.H. — Jeremy Hazelbaker showed off his newfound power and Felix Doubront stopped by and shut down the Fisher Cats to send the Sea Dogs into a two-day Eastern League All-Star break Monday with a 9-5 victory against New Hampshire at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium.

Hazelbaker contributed a pair of three-run homers.

He pulled the first one down the line in right to give Portland a 4-1 lead in the second inning, then did the same in the sixth to up the advantage to 9-1.

“He had a good game and drove in quite a few runs,” said Portland catcher Tim Federowicz.

Indeed.

Hazelbaker’s six runs batted in were the most for the Sea Dogs since Jon Still set the franchise record of seven on July 20, 2009, against New Britain at Hadlock Field.

Advertisement

He had a two-run homer to give the Sea Dogs an eighth-inning lead Sunday night, but they lost on a walk-off home run in the ninth.

Hazelbaker had two home runs in his first 182 at-bats of the season and now has three in his last six.

Portland improved its record to 35-54 and earned a split of this four-game set. The Sea Dogs will open a seven-game homestand at 7 p.m. Thursday against New Britain.

New Hampshire, which will host the All-Star game, fell to 51-37.

The All-Star festivities start here at 5 p.m. today with the HR Concepts Total Access Block Party, a free event in downtown Manchester.

The first rounds of the All-Star game’s Home Run Derby are at 5 p.m. Wednesday and the game is at 7:05.

Advertisement

Doubront was sent to the Sea Dogs from Pawtucket to get a start with the International League on its own All-Star break. He gave up consecutive hits and a run in the first inning, and little after that.

“He really commanded all his pitches and attacked the strike zone,” said Portland Manager Kevin Boles.

Doubont retired 14 of the last 16 batters he faced, nine by strikeout. He struck out the side in the fifth and his day was done after 86 pitches. He allowed four hits and walked no one.

“Early, he was struggling a little bit with his curveball command, but he got it and the rest of the game it was a great pitch for him,” Federowicz said. “We just needed to throw it. He was shaking to it quite a bit and I got the hang of that and knew he wanted to throw it more so I started calling it more. It’s a really good curveball.”

Doubront was last year’s opening-day starter for Portland. He began this year in Boston, making three relief appearances, but has been working as a starter in Pawtucket for most of the season.

The Fisher Cats scratched back and in the ninth already had one run in when slugger Mike McDade came up as the tying run with the bases loaded and two outs.

Boles called for left-hander Kyle Fernandes to replace Cesar Cabral on the mound. Fernandes struck out McDade, the 17th Fisher Cat strikeout victim, to end the game.

NOTES: The Red Sox announced before the game that right-hander Stolmy Pimentel had been sent to Class A Salem in the Carolina League. Pimentel was 0-9 with a 9.12 earned-run average in 15 starts with the Sea Dogs. Boles and Federowicz credited an Alex Hassan 16-pitch at-bat in the first inning with helping the team get to New Hampshire starter Joel Carreno. Hassan finished the at-bat with a double off the wall in left-center.

Copy the Story Link

Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.