MANCHESTER – Despite a two-run blast from designated hitter Hedbert Perez, the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (9-8, 43-41) could not cool the Portland Sea Dogs’ (11-6, 46-39) hot bats in a Saturday night loss at Delta Dental Stadium, 8-3.

New Hampshire pitchers combined to strike out 13 batters in front of 5,332.

New Hampshire starter Chris McElvain (L, 3-5) was tagged for five runs on nine hits in 3-2/3 innings. Reliever Alex Amalfi punched out five in 3-2/3 and right-hander Caleb Freeman secured five outs for the Cats out of the bullpen. Portland starter Blake Wehunt (W, 5-4) struck out six Fisher Cats in 5-2/3 innings. Reliever Jedixson Paez (SV, 2) secured the final 10 outs of the game and recorded his second save.

Portland opened the scoring in the top of the first and never fell behind. With runners at second and third and two out, Portland designated hitter Ronald Rosario ripped a two-run single and gave the Sea Dogs an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first.

The Cats struck back in the bottom of the second. Right fielder Eddie Micheletti Jr. singled to start the frame. The next batter, third baseman Dub Gleed, laced an RBI triple and cut New Hampshire’s deficit in half, 2-1.

The Sea Dogs added a run in the third and two in the fourth to extend their lead, but the Fisher Cats responded with a pair in the bottom of the sixth on a homer run from Perez (5).

Leading by two, Portland blew the game open in the eighth. Highlighting the three-run inning was an RBI single from third baseman Jack Winnay and a two-run homer from Raudelis Martinez (1). The Cats’ bats went quiet over the final three frames as New Hampshire dropped their third game of the series.

New Hampshire and Portland finish the series on Sunday, July 12, with a 1:05 p.m. EDT first pitch. Southpaw Mason Olson (4-2, 3.99 ERA) will start for the Cats; Portland’s Sunday starter is yet to be determined. Coverage begins at 12:45 p.m. on WKXL, Bally Live, MLB.tv, MiLB.tv, and the Fisher Cats Radio Network.