With the sheen of the Eastern League All-Star Game over, the New Hampshire Fisher Cats returned to Northeast Delta Dental Stadium on Thursday night and ended up with their fifth loss in a row, falling to the Portland Sea Dogs, 6-1.
After accumulating three hits in the All-Star Game, Portland’s Danny Mars opened scoring in the third with a two-run homer toward over the right centerfield fence.
Portland added four more runs in the sixth, highlighted by another home run, this time by Cole Sturgeon.
Newly promoted Jays’ Cuban prospect Lourdes Gurriel reached home thanks to an error in the seventh to prevent the Sea Dogs from gaining a shutout victory.
Portland starter Kevin McAvoy avenged his July 5th loss to the Fisher Cats with his third seven inning performance this year. McAvoy (4-6) scattered six hits and a walk in what was his second victory over New Hampshire in 2007, striking out three in the process.
Meanwhile, New Hampshire starter Jon Harris saw his two-game winning streak against the Sea Dogs evaporate. Harris (4-8) pitched 5 2/3 innings and got credit for the loss, allowing seven hits and pair of walks.
However, only three of the six runs given up during Harris’ watch were earned, with Sturgeon’s three run shot coming shortly after a throwing error by Gurriel that prolonged the inning.
Richard Urena had two hits for New Hampshire while Jake Romanski and Chad De La Guerra each grabbed two hits for the visitors.
The two teams meet again on Friday, with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Shane Dawson (1-9, 5.98 ERA) takes the mount for New Hampshire against Portland’s Trey Ball (3-7, 4.91 ERA).
