PORTLAND, ME - A two-out, two-run home run by #3 Red Sox prospect Bobby Dalbec in the bottom of the eighth broke a 1-1 tie and drove a stake in the hearts of the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Blue Jays) Wednesday night, as the 'Cats fell 3-1 to Dustin Pedroia
PORTLAND, ME - A two-out, two-run home run by #3 Red Sox prospect Bobby Dalbec in the bottom of the eighth broke a 1-1 tie and drove a stake in the hearts of the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Blue Jays) Wednesday night, as the 'Cats fell 3-1 to Dustin Pedroia and the Portland Sea Dogs (Red Sox) at Hadlock Field.
Dalbec's dinger capped three unanswered runs for Portland after they trailed 1-0 through four. Santiago Espinal's RBI single in the fourth scored the only run of the game for New Hampshire.
Andrew Sopko was excellent once again in his sixth start for the Fisher Cats. The right-hander blanked the 'Dogs for five innings, scattered three hits, walked one and struck out five.
After Sopko's exit after the fifth, Portland got some help from the Red Sox second baseman who is with the Sea Dogs rehabbing an injured left knee. Pedroia greeted reliever Willy Ortiz (L, 0-1/BS, 1) with a line drive single to centerfield to begin the sixth stanza and later scored on Joey Curletta's game-tying double with two outs.
With the loss, the Fisher Cats have dropped a season-high five consecutive games. They've scored one run in eight of their last 12 contests.
New Hampshire sends RHP Patrick Murphy to the mound tomorrow morning to try and salvage the series. He'll be opposed by RHP Tanner Houck. Coverage begins at 10:45 a.m. and continues with first pitch at 11 a.m. on the WGIR Fisher Cats Radio Network.
