MANCHESTER, N.H. — By the time the Portland Sea Dogs threatened Friday night, it was far too late.
The New Hampshire Fisher Cats romped past the Sea Dogs 9-0 at Delta Dental Stadium.
Portland managed only five hits, all singles, three of them in the ninth inning. But the Sea Dogs still couldn’t score.
The highlight for Portland was 2 1/3 perfect innings by left-handed reliever Robby Scott.
The Sea Dogs finished their road trip 2-8 and dropped to an Eastern League-worst 27-47 record.
They return to Hadlock Field Saturday, beginning a seven-game homestand. Portland, which has lost eight straight series, will welcome the Reading Fightin Phils.
New Hampshire (34-48) will head to Trenton before visiting Hadlock Field from Tuesday through Friday.
On Friday, the Sea Dogs went with a committee of relievers because starter Mike Augliera is on the disabled list.
Kyle Kraus (0-1) started and gave up four runs, one earned, in four innings. Simon Mercedes relieved and couldn’t get out of the fifth, allowing four runs on four hits and two walks – and the rout was on.
New Hampshire starter Austin Bibens-Dirkx gave up only one hit in six innings – a Keury De La Cruz bloop single in the fifth. Portland’s next hit came in the eighth with a Marco Hernandez single.
In the ninth, the Sea Dogs loaded the bases with one out on singles by Jantzen Witte, Oscar Tejeda and Manuel Margot. But De La Cruz grounded into a double play.
The first two New Hampshire batters in the first inning reached, on a fielding error by Reed Gragnani and a single.
A groundout and K.C. Hobson’s sacrifice fly made it 1-0. Ryan Schimpf followed with a towering blast well over the right-field wall for a two-run homer.
The Fisher Cats got another run the third before breaking loose against Simon.
Scott followed Simon and retired seven straight batters, four by strikeout. Scott hasn’t allowed an earned run in more than a month and lowered his ERA to 1.65.
Reliever John Cornely of the Sea Dogs gave up a run in the eighth inning on two hits, a walk and, with the bases loaded, a hit batter.
On Saturday, Sea Dogs starter Heri Quevedo (0-4) goes for his first win, against Reading and Phillies pitching prospect Jesse Biddle (7-1).
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