Portland Sea Dogs pitcher Justin Haley threw too many pitches in the first inning.

New Hampshire Fisher Cats designated hitter K.C. Hobson only made it worse for Haley, working a 14-pitch at-bat. He smoked that 14th pitch down the right-field line for a three-run triple, part of a four-run first inning, in the Fisher Cats’ 8-2 rout of Portland on Wednesday night at Hadlock Field.

Haley (3-3) did not make it out of the first inning, throwing 44 pitches (only 23 strikes). All six batters he faced reached – the first four by walks, then two hits. The one out recorded was a caught-stealing.

It was an abnormal night for Haley, whose ERA is still only 2.87. The four runs he allowed Wednesday were more than his last four starts combined. His previous 18 innings were scoreless.

“He didn’t have the command today,” Portland pitching coach Kevin Walker said. “One of those days. He got caught in some long at-bats and it really hiked his pitch count up. Unfortunately, it was a short exit.

“But he’s been throwing the ball well and he’ll bounce back.”

After the four walks – three on full counts – and Dwight Smith’s single, Hobson came to bat with the bases loaded. He fell behind quickly at 1-2 but then worked the count full, fouling off eight pitches.

“He was coming with fastballs and breaking balls, and the pitch I hit was a change-up,” Hobson said. “Just had to grind through it. I kept battling and he was battling, and I ended up coming out on top, on that one.”

Hobson’s hard grounder down the line chased Haley. Rob Wort relieved with one out and stranded Hobson on third, keeping the score 4-0.

Cole Sturgeon led off for the Sea Dogs and made it 4-1 with a line drive over the right-field wall. Sturgeon hit a change-up from Fisher Cats starter Jason Berken (1-5).

New Hampshire scored once in the second. Portland responded with a run in the bottom of the inning. Aneury Tavarez tripled to right-center and scored on a grounder.

But Portland would get only one more hit – a Nate Freiman single in the fourth. Fisher Cats pitchers retired 15 straight Sea Dogs at one point.

Newly arrived outfield prospect Andrew Benintendi continued his adjustment to Double-A, going 0 for 4 with three strikeouts.

Matt Dean’s three-run homer off Nik Turley in the sixth made it 8-2.

Despite Wednesday’s loss, the Sea Dogs (15-26) completed a 5-3 homestand, winning both their series against Binghamton and New Hampshire (19-19).

NOTES: The announced paid attendance was 3,380. … Sturgeon’s home run was his second of the year. He has hit safely in eight of his last nine games, batting .294 (10 for 34) during that time. … Freiman was 1 for 3 with a walk and is batting .370 in his first nine games with Portland. … The Sea Dogs left after the game for a 10-hour bus ride to Altoona, Pennsylvania. … Portland has Thursday off and then plays a three-game series against the Curve, followed by four games in Harrisburg. The Sea Dogs return to Portland Friday, May 27, to face the Hartford Yard Goats.

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