Home runs hurt New Hampshire in second straight defeat

PORTLAND, M.E — The New Hampshire Fisher Cats, the Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, lost to the Portland Sea Dogs 3-2 on Thursday afternoon from Hadlock Field. The Sea Dogs lead the series two games to none in the Fisher Cats first visit to Portland of the season.

Starting pitcher Sem Robberse (0-4) threw six innings matching a season-high and gave up three runs on five hits and one walk while striking out seven, one shy of his season-high, receiving the loss. The 21-year old right-hander now has 47 strikeouts over 43.2 innings pitched this season and is still looking for his first Double-A win.

Robberse gave up a pair of home runs, a solo home run to Nick Yorke in the fourth and a two-run go-ahead home run to Ceddanne Rafaela in the sixth to put Portland (28-13) ahead for good.

Zac Cook and PK Morris collected the lone RBIs of the game for New Hampshire (20-20). Cook lifted a sac fly in the second to open the scoring for the Fisher Cats and Morris delivered a tiebreaking RBI single in the sixth off Portland reliever Ryan Miller (1-2).

Miguel Hiraldo recorded his eighth multi-hit game of the season with a game-high two hits. He is second on the team in multi-hit performances behind Damiano Palmegiani (9).

New Hampshire outhit Portland on the afternoon seven to six but went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position and stranded nine on base.

The Fisher Cats continue their six-game road trip against the Portland Sea Dogs tomorrow at 6:00 pm. RHP Chad Dallas (1-0, 0.00 ERA) will get the start for New Hampshire against a pitcher to be determined for Portland.

The next home stand for the Fisher Cats begins Tuesday, May 30 against the Reading Fightin’ Phils. Promotions include Common Man for Ukraine Night and a Fisher Cats Hat Giveaway Thursday, Military Appreciation Night Friday, 603 Night Saturday sponsored by WorkReady N-H with postgame AutoFair Fireworks and an Adult T-Shirt Giveaway Sunday, courtesy of Fidium Fiber with Kids Run the Bases postgame, sponsored by the New Hampshire Liquor Commission Division of Enforcement.

Tickets are available at NHFisherCats.com, via email at [email protected], over the phone at (603) 641-2005, or in-person at the Fisher Cats box office at 1 Line Drive in Manchester.