Kyle Hart walked into the clubhouse and his fellow Portland Sea Dogs applauded Sunday. The unassuming Hart offered a nod of acknowledgement, then sat to untie his spikes.

If Hart keeps pitching like he did, the cheers will continue at the Double-A level and above.

Hart pitched eight strong innings – a career high – and allowed one earned run as the Sea Dogs beat the Reading Fightin Phils 6-2 at Hadlock Field.

Hart (3-3) gave up seven hits and one walk, striking out five. He has allowed two or less earned runs in six of his eight starts.

“He’s basically been doing it all year,” Portland pitching coach Paul Abbott said. “He’s locating really well … keeps his secondary pitches down and does a nice job of mixing it up.”

Hart, a 6-foot-5 left-hander, was a 19th-round draft pick out of Indiana University. He was part of a pretty good Hoosiers recruiting class – including Kyle Schwarber (Cubs) and Sam Travis (Red Sox prospect).

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“I’m just Sam Travis’ ex-teammate and I don’t mind that at all,” said Hart, who spent five years at Indiana, sitting out a season after Tommy John surgery.

Hart’s forte has been command with a variety of pitches. Facing 33 batters, he threw a first-pitch strike 23 times.

“He was getting good carry on his fastball and his two-seamer was sinking,” catcher Austin Rei said. “He kept the change-up down, he dropped the curveball in for strikes and used the slider to put away (batters).”

The fastball hit 90 mph once. Placement was the key on both sides of the plate

“He’s not a flame-thrower so he needs to hit his spots,” Abbott said. “And he needs to pitch inside effectively, and he’s been doing a terrific job of that.”

Hart has had interesting starts, including his Double-A debut April 9 in the snow at Reading (six earned runs on 11 hits). He’s had only one other suspect start, allowing four earned runs, also in April.

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“It’s such a long season, you have to be able to turn the page,” Hart said.

On May 1, Hart was cruising with a two-hitter in the fourth inning when he was hit by a line drive, causing a deep bruise on his left arm. He returned 10 days later and has dominated in four starts with a 1.73 ERA (26 innings, five earned runs).

Hart entered the eighth inning with a 6-1 lead, having allowed five hits. With two outs and two on (by single and infield error), Hart gave up an RBI single on his 98th pitch. Manager Darren Fenster stayed in the dugout.

“Kyle was still throwing the ball well,” Fenster said, “and we were going to give him every chance to get through that inning. ”

Hart induced a flyout on his 100th pitch.

Jordan Weems pitched a scoreless ninth.

Josh Ockimey and Josh Tobias both hit a pair of RBI singles for Portland. Jantzen Witte went 3 for 4 with two doubles and an RBI. Leadoff batter Jeremy Rivera reached five times – three singles and two walks – and scored four runs.

NOTES: The announced paid attendance was 7,334. … The Sea Dogs (17-31) and Reading (19-28) will play again at 1 p.m. Monday at Hadlock. … The Sea Dogs made one roster move late Friday, sending reliever Jake Cosart (8.41 ERA) down to Salem and receiving reliever Josh Smith from Pawtucket.


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