MANCHESTER – Tate Matheny hit a grand slam in the fourth inning, leading the Portland Sea Dogs to an 8-6 win over the New Hampshire Fisher Cats on Monday.
The grand slam by Matheny erased a four-run deficit and started the scoring in a seven-run frame. Later in the inning, Portland took the lead when Danny Mars hit an RBI single and then added to it when Chad De La Guerra hit a two-run home run.
The Sea Dogs tacked on another run in the sixth when De La Guerra hit a solo home run.
New Hampshire saw its comeback attempt come up short after Bo Bichette scored on a groundout in the sixth inning and Jon Berti scored on a wild pitch in the eighth to cut the Portland lead to 8-6.
De La Guerra homered twice, driving home three runs and scoring twice for Portland. Mars singled twice, also stealing a base.
Portland starter Dedgar Jimenez (3-6) picked up the win despite allowing four runs and five hits over five innings. Opposing starter T.J. Zeuch (5-3) took the loss in the Eastern League game after a rough outing in which he allowed seven runs and eight hits over 3⅔ innings. Matthew Gorst gave up one run in two innings and recorded his first save of the season.
For the Fisher Cats, Bichette homered and doubled twice, scoring three runs and driving home a couple. Cavan Biggio homered and singled, driving in three runs.