MANCHESTER, N.H. – The Portland Sea Dogs broke open a scoreless tie with a four-run eighth inning to beat the New Hampshire Fisher Cats 5-0 Sunday afternoon, before 6,902 at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium.

Stefan Welch walked with the bases loaded to give Portland a 1-0 lead. Kevin Heller followed with a three-run double for insurance.

The Sea Dogs won their ninth straight game and improved to 84-50. The .627 winning percentage is the best in franchise history this late in the season.

Portland leads second-place Binghamton (81-52) by 2½ games.

The Sea Dogs’ magic number to win the division is now six (both teams have already qualified for the playoffs).

The Sea Dogs return to Hadlock Field for their final eight dates of the regular season, beginning with a game against Reading at 7 p.m. Monday.
New Hampshire dropped to 63-70.

Sea Dogs starter Luis Diaz pitched his first scoreless outing, holding the Fisher Cats to four hits over six innings. Diaz, who had allowed 17 runs in his past four starts, lowered his ERA to 3.86.

Mike Augliera (7-10) picked up the win in his first relief appearance of the season. He allowed one hit over two innings.
Reliever Robby Scott finished it with a one-hit ninth.

Portland had chances early, including a bases-loaded, two-out situation in the first. But David Chester flied out to left.

In the third, Shannon Wilkerson led off with a single. Mike Miller followed with a double. Wilkerson slipped rounding third base, and was thrown out trying to get back.

Mike Lee, a former Sea Dogs starter (2011), started for New Hampshire. Lee held his former team to five hits and no runs over seven innings.

Dustin Antolin (4-6) relieved in the eighth and was greeted by singles by Miller and Sean Coyle. After two outs, David Chester worked a full-count walk to load the bases.

Welch came up and also worked a full count. He took an outside fastball for the RBI walk.

Heller’s line drive to the right-center gap made it 4-0.

Keury De La Cruz singled in a run in the ninth to finish the scoring.

Both Miller and Coyle reached base four times. Miller went 3 for 4 and was hit by a pitch. Coyle was 2 for 3 with two walks.

NOTES: Third baseman Michael Almanzar was hit on the left shoulder by a pitch in the first inning. He stayed in the game until coming out in the fifth as a precaution. After the game, he said he was fine … Augliera was put back on the roster Sunday from the inactive list. After 23 starts (4.76 ERA), he was moved to the bullpen. Portland already has five starters with Diaz, Brian Johnson, Eduardo Escobar, Keith Couch and Justin Haley … To make room for Augliera, reliever Pete Ruiz was placed on the inactive list … Since Lee was released by the Red Sox in 2012, he has pitched in the Braves, Diamondbacks and Blue Jays organizations … Portland is three wins away from tying the franchise-record winning streak of 12 (1997).

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