Luis Diaz may not have a win this year, but he showed needed improvement Sunday afternoon in the Portland Sea Dogs’ 3-2 loss to the Reading Fightin Phils, before a sold-out Hadlock Field crowd of 7,368.

Diaz (0-4) entered this season as one of Portland’s better pitchers. He had a career 3.49 ERA.

But Diaz came into Sunday’s game with a 6.75 mark in eight starts. Plus, his pitch count kept elevating and he never lasted longer than 5 2/3 innings.

On Sunday, Diaz completed six innings, allowing five hits and three runs (two earned). He struck out three and walked two.

“I tried to figure it out with my breathing and my tempo on the mound,” Diaz said. “I practiced that every day.

“I felt good with my mechanics, especially with my fastball.”

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Diaz needed only 81 pitches (45 strikes).

“He definitely had better command of his fastball. He was locating it well,” Sea Dogs catcher Luis Martinez said. “His change-up was better and a lot more consistent than the past few outings. And he threw his curve for strikes.

“Hopefully, he’ll go from here and get his first win.”

Diaz received little offensive support.

After the first two innings, Portland put at least one runner on every inning, but never mounted much of a rally.

Both teams had seven hits. Marco Hernandez (three hits) and Jantzen Witte (two) combined for five of Portland’s total.

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Witte doubled in a run in the fourth, and then scored in the sixth on an RBI single by Hernandez.

Reading (23-19) led from the start, scoring an unearned run in the first. KC Serna walked, stole second and went to third when Martinez’s throw sailed into center field. Serna scored on Brock Stassi’s bloop single.

Harold Martinez homered in the third for a 2-0 lead. The Phils’ final run came in the sixth. Stassi singled, stole second and scored on Brian Pointer’s single.

Portland got scoreless relief. Jorge Marban gave up one hit in two innings, striking out three. Robby Scott allowed a lead-off single in the ninth, but then struck out the next three batters.

The two teams meet again at 1 p.m. Monday at Hadlock Field.


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