If you watched the Portland Sea Dogs on Tuesday night at Hadlock Field, you were likely soaked from a continual mist. And your chances of collecting a foul ball were good, with the weather chasing other fans away.
But what the diehards did not see was a whole lot of Sea Dogs offense. They managed only four hits in a 3-0 loss to the New Hampshire Fisher Cats.
UP NExT
WHO: New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Scott Barnes 2-5) at Portland Sea Dogs (Luis Diaz 1-10)
WHEN: 6 p.m. Wednesday
It was the third time Portland (47-82) was shut out this month.
Sam Travis had two singles and a walk for Portland, upping his average to .296 and his on-base percentage to .373.
Another encouraging sign was the subtle improvement by starting pitcher Danny Rosenbaum (0-7).
Rosenbaum, coming off Tommy John surgery last year, pitched five innings, his longest outing since joining the Sea Dogs on July 11.
After struggling with his command this month (17 walks in 11 innings), Rosenbaum walked only one. He allowed three runs on five hits.
“Coming off this surgery, it’s just about going out there and getting reps, and not focusing on the results,” Sea Dogs pitching coach Kevin Walker said. “It’s been a long process for him and he continues to work.
“It’s just about trusting yourself again and going out, throwing the ball with conviction. It all kind of came together tonight.”
In nine Double-A starts, Rosenbaum’s ERA is 7.67. He is a minor league free agent after the season but the Red sox may consider re-signing him.
In 2011, the Sea Dogs featured a pitcher coming back from Tommy John surgery. Miguel Gonzalez went 0-5 with a 6.17 ERA. Boston released him after the season. Baltimore signed Gonzalez and he went 9-4 (3.25) in the majors in 2012.
Rosenbaum began Tuesday with two scoreless innings but New Hampshire began the third with three hits, including Melky Mesa’s two-run double to deep right-center. With two outs in the fifth, Dwight Smith Jr. made it 3-0 with a solo home run to right-center.
Fisher Cats starter Casey Lawrence (12-12) stymied Portland for eight innings, allowing three hits and two walks, striking out five
The Sea Dogs’ best chance came in the fourth, when Tzu-Wei Lin led off with a double, followed by Travis’ infield single (keeping Lin at second). Tim Roberson hit into a double play. After a walk, Oscar Tejeda hit into a forceout.
Portland got only two more baserunners – a Keury De La Cruz double in the fifth and Travis’ single in the ninth off lake McFarland, who got his 14th save.
After Rosenbaum, the Sea Dogs got scoreless relief from Mike Augliera and Madison Younginer.
NOTES: The announced paid attendance was 4,630. …With three shutout innings, Augliera’s ERA as a reliever dropped to 2.66. As a starter his ERA was 5.88. … Younginer’s ERA dipped to 2.80. In his last 10 outings (20 innings), Younginer has allowed 12 hits and four runs. … Lawrence, a non-drafted free agent out of Division III Albright College in Reading, Pennsylvania, improved to 3-1 in four starts against Portland. … The Sea Dogs finish their homestand Wednesday with a 6 p.m. game against the Fisher Cats. Fireworks will follow.
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