Pearson strong in AA debut
- Updated: May 8, 2019
PORTLAND, Maine — Nate Pearson turned in a strong Double-A debut, but the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Blue Jays) saw his efforts spoiled in a 4-2 loss to the Portland Sea Dogs on Tuesday at Hadlock Field.
Pearson, the No. 3 Blue Jays prospect (MLB.com), retired the first 10 men he faced – including six strikeouts – before giving up a one-out single in the fourth. Pearson worked five shutout innings, allowed two hits, didn’t walk a batter and struck out eight.
New Hampshire staked him to an early lead with a run in the second. Kevin Smith battled for ten pitches before working a lead-off walk then stole second base. After a pair of strikeouts, up stepped Chad Spanberger, who ended a six-game hitless drought with a RBI single to right field for his first of two hits on the night.
The ‘Cats doubled their advantage in the sixth. An error allowed the first man of the inning to reach second before a fly out moved him to third. Alberto Mineo lined a single off the pitcher to score the second – and ultimately final – Fisher Cats run.
Portland won the game in the sixth. Yennsy Diaz (L, 2-3) surrendered three runs on three hits – including a go-ahead two RBI double to No. 3 Red Sox prospect Bobby Dalbec — to give the Sea Dogs a 3-2 advantage. They added another run in the seventh to go up 4-2, the same score by which they earned the victory.
The ‘Cats and ‘Dogs go at it again Wednesday night. RHP Andrew Sopko will go for New Hampshire while RHP Denyi Reyes is set to start for Portland. Coverage begins at 5:45 p.m. and continues with first pitch at 6 p.m. on the WGIR Fisher Cats Radio Network.
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