A day after his fourth scoreless outing this season, and second in three starts, Kyle Hart was nowhere to be seen in the Portland Sea Dogs clubhouse.

He finally emerged from the upstairs weight room.

“As the season goes on, you do what you need to do,” Hart said.

It’s working for Hart. His fastball has more life, his changeup more depth. Of his 21 starts this year, Hart has allowed three earned runs or less in 16 of them.

In his other five starts, he gave up 33 earned runs, with the last clunker on July 16 (eight runs in four innings).

“On some of those starts, I just lost my mechanics,” he said.

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And then Hart (7-8, 3.55 ERA) got them back – which is what minor league development is all about.

“You have to fine-tune your game and understand who you are and what you’re good at doing,” Hart said.

Hart was Boston’s 19th-round draft pick – 568th overall – in 2016 out of Indiana University, where he totaled 31 wins, second most in school history. Although this is only his second full pro season, Hart is already 25, having spent five years at Indiana (one redshirt season because of injury).

But he is intriguing – a 6-foot-5 left-hander who is gaining velocity. When he pitched an eight-inning gem in May, Hart had one pitch reach 90 mph. In his seven scoreless innings Tuesday, Hart was sitting 91 mph, with a high of 93 mph.

“Supposedly, guys are getting tired in August,” said Sea Dogs pitching coach Paul Abbott, who has helped Hart tweak his approach. “Small, miniscule adjustments. Nothing blatant. A little more depth to his changeup. Slight grip change to give it more movement.

“He’s put a little more priority on actual location – not just going away, but down and away. He’s getting the ball down better … He’s pitching inside really well, not letting the hitters get comfortable.”

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A lefty with a fastball in the 90s, with a swing-and-miss changeup, and solid curves and sliders …

“He’s fun to watch,” Abbott said.

BOBBY DALBEC’S RBI double in the eighth inning Tuesday against Trenton sent the game into extra innings, and Portland won it in the 10th, 5-2. Dalbec also struck out four times. It was Dalbec’s first “golden sombrero” in Double-A, but no one is complaining about Dalbec’s production. Through Tuesday, he was batting .342 with a 1.185 OPS in 10 games for the Sea Dogs, with five home runs and 12 RBI. His total of 31 homers this season, including 26 for Class A Salem, is tied for first among all minor leaguers.

OF THE SIX Sea Dogs promoted to Triple-A, right-handed starter Mike Shawaryn may be the most impressive. In his third start for Pawtucket, Shawaryn pitched seven scoreless innings, allowing two hits. He is 2-0 with a 2.95 ERA and 1.04 WHIP.

Relievers Trevor Kelley (1.33 ERA/1.28 WHIP), Matthew Gorst (2.00/1.33) and Travis Lakins (1.50/1.00) are holding their own. Gorst’s scoreless streak ended at 382/3 innings (including 201/3 in Portland and 101/3 in Salem). Gorst gave up two runs Wednesday. Lakins has pitched only six innings for Pawtucket, but he’s been busy, because he and his wife Alexis celebrated the birth of their first child (a girl) this week.

Outfielder Cole Sturgeon was sent to Pawtucket after 31 games in Portland (.365 average). Sturgeon’s numbers are getting better, but he’s still hitting just .226 with a 573 OPS. Slugger Josh Ockimey has two home runs in 11 games but is batting only .200.

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TZU-WEI LIN had a couple minor injuries in early August. Lin is back and has continued his hot hitting. He was 3 for 5 with a triple Wednesday and is batting .474 in his last 10 games.

TANNER HOUCK, the 2017 first-round pick out of Missouri, looks ticketed for Portland next April. In his last eight starts, Houck is 4-1 with a 2.61 ERA, 50 strikeouts and 10 walks. Overall, he’s 7-11 with a 4.24 ERA, 111 strikeouts and 60 walks in 119 innings.

ANOTHER PLAYER who can be penciled into next April’s Sea Dogs lineup is shortstop C.J. Chatham, a 2016 second-round pick. He leads Salem with a .309 average.

DURBIN FELTMAN is pitching for Salem, but might be in Portland soon. Feltman was a third-round pick this year out of Texas Christian. With his fastball and slider combination, he has zoomed through Lowell and Greenville and has made four appearances with Salem. In 15 total innings, he has struck out 27 and walked three, allowing seven hits and two earned runs.

Staff Writer Kevin Thomas can be reached at 791-6411 or:

kthomas@pressherald.com

Twitter: ClearTheBases


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