Right-hander pitcher Kevin McAvoy dropped out of the Baseball America’s prospect rankings after last season.

He looked like a prospect Monday night.

The Sea Dogs' Rafael Devers gets tagged out by Binghamton's Luis Guillorme while trying to stretch a single into a double. Staff photo by Ben McCanna

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TUESDAY'S GAME

WHO: Binghamton Rumble Ponies (Casey Delgado 1-4) at Portland Sea Dogs (Teddy Stankiewicz 1-0)

WHEN: 6 p.m.

McAvoy, 23, pitched seven shutout innings in a pitchers’ duel against the Binghamton Rumble Ponies at Hadlock Field.

Binghamton won 2-0, scoring two runs in the ninth.

Neither starter factored into the decision

Binghamton’s Corey Oswalt also went seven innings (four hits, three walks, four strikeouts).

McAvoy recorded his first scoreless effort in 27 Double-A starts. McAvoy, a fourth-round draft pick in 2014 out of Bryant College, allowed only two hits and one walk over seven innings, striking out six. He lowered his ERA to 4.01.

“A lot of movement,” Portland Manager Carlos Febles said. “I saw a lot of uncomfortable swings.”

Working off a 93 mph fastball, McAvoy had his slider, cut fastball and curve all working.

“Just trying to get everything in the zone and that’s when I can start pitching,” McAvoy said.

Last year, McAvoy came to Portland after a solid 2015 season in Salem (11-9, 3.89 ERA). He was ranked Boston’s 21st-best prospect by Baseball America. He had some tough outings, going 8-9 with a 5.80 ERA.

“Definitely a learning period, figuring what works and what doesn’t,” he said.

After three starts this season, McAvoy was 0-2 with a 7.71 ERA.

In his fourth start, last week in Hartford, McAvoy gave up a first-inning run and then went five scoreless. That makes 12 straight shutout innings on five hits and no walks.

“I made a little adjustment to my delivery and it’s helped the last two starts,” McAvoy said. “Just simplified things.”

McAvoy came out after only 78 pitches.

“But he hasn’t been that deep into games,” Febles said. “We like to take guys one step at a time.”

Sea Dogs reliever Austin Maddox (0-1) pitched a scoreless eighth, before giving up two runs in the ninth on two singles, two walks and a sacrifice fly. Tomas Nido drove in the winning run.

The runs were the first allowed by Maddox in seven appearances with Portland.

“He just got in a spot where he left some fastballs over the plate,” Sea Dogs pitching coach Kevin Walker said. “He couldn’t get the action on the slider that he wanted. It’s unfortunate but, heck, he’s been so good for us.”

Binghamton’s Kyle Regnault (1-0) pitched a 1-2-3 eighth for the win. Alberto Baldonado pitched a scoreless ninth for his fifth save. Binghamton is 17-10.

The Sea Dogs (15-11) had their best scoring chance when they loaded the bases in the third inning on a single (Joseph Monge), a two-out double (Josh Tobias) and a walk (Cole Sturgeon). Clean-up hitter Mike Olt tried to check his swing on a 2-2 pitch but struck out.

Portland managed only two more singles the rest of the game.

“I don’t think we were ready to hit. One of those nights,” Febles said.

NOTES: The announced paid attendance was 3,049 … Rafael Devers went 0 for 2 with two walks. He is batting .315 … Former Sea Dogs infielder Cory Decker was the DH for Binghamton, going 0 for 4 … The Rumble Ponies moved into a tie for first place in the Eastern League East Division after Trenton (18-11) lost to Akron, 4-3 … In Triple-A Pawtucket, Sam Travis went 2 for 4 with a double and his second home run of the season.

Kevin Thomas can be reached at 791-6411 or:

kthomas@pressherald.com

Twitter: @ClearTheBases

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