PORTLAND, Maine — New Hampshire (19-19) scored four runs in the top of the first inning and never looked back on Wednesday night, posting an 8-2 Eastern League victory over Portland in the series finale at Hadlock Field.
Justin Haley (3-3) walked the first four batters he faced and his scoreless inning streak ended at 18.0 innings. K.C. Hobson delivered a three-run triple in the first to put the Fisher Cats (19-19) ahead for good.
Haley allowed four earned runs on two hits in one-third of an inning for the Sea Dogs (15-26).
New Hampshire starter Jason Berken lasted four innings and allowed two runs on three hits, walking one and striking out three. The Sea Dogs managed just one baserunner against the New Hampshire bullpen.
Danny Barnes (2-0) pitched a perfect fifth and sixth with three strikeouts, Murphy Smith was perfect in the seventh and eighth with two strikeouts, and Wil Browning closed out the game walking one in the ninth.
Cole Sturgeon hit a leadoff homer for the Sea Dogs in the bottom of the first, while Wendell Rijo had an RBI groundout following an Aneury Tavarez triple to account for the two Portland runs.
The Sea Dogs have Thursday off and begin a road trip on Friday in Altoona against the Curve.