Sea Dogs spoil Fisher Cats’ Fourth

MANCHESTER, NH — The New Hampshire Fisher Cats (2-7, 32-45) dropped their Independence Day contest to the Portland Sea Dogs (7-2, 43-35) on Thursday night at Delta Dental Stadium, 7-3. The Fisher Cats trimmed a 4-1 deficit to 4-3, but a trio of Sea Dogs runs in the top of the ninth put the game away.

New Hampshire starter Michael Dominguez (L, 2-5) ceded the first two runs of the game to Portland

over his 4 2/3 innings of work. The right-hander walked two and struck out five. Both Braydon Fisher and T.J. Brock dazzled out of the Cats’ bullpen. Fisher struck out four of the five batters he faced; Brock struck out the side in the eighth.

Portland starter Wikekman Gonzalez only made it through three innings before making way to reliever Christopher Troye (W, 2-0). The duo combined for eight strikeouts and one earned run.

The Sea Dogs scored first in the top of the second. First baseman Troy Miller doubled in designated hitter Alex Binelas. Portland doubled its advantage in the fifth, as Binelas swatted a single to center which scored shortstop Kristian Campbell.

With a 2-0 lead in the sixth, Portland pounded two home runs off New Hampshire right-hander Anders Tolhurst. Nick Decker hit a solo homer to right. Three batters later, Roman Anthony hit an inside-the-park

homer to deep center field. After the top of the sixth, the Sea Dogs led, 4-0.

Rainer Nuñez belted his eighth home run of the year to get the Cats on the board in the bottom of the sixth. Nuñez crushed a hanging off-speed pitch from Troy over the right field fence.

Portland sent lefty Helcris Olivarez out for the seventh. The Fisher Cats drew five walks in the inning and plated two runs on two bases-loaded walks and no hits to cut the deficit to 4-3. In the top of the ninth, Portland knocked in three runs on four hits off New Hampshire reliever Jimmy Burnette to push the lead to 7-3.