PORTLAND — The major league All-Star couldn’t make it, but the slugging prospect came through, as did the left-hander on a roll.
Bobby Dalbec homered again and Kyle Hart allowed four hits over seven innings Monday night as the Portland Sea Dogs beat the Hartford Yard Goats 5-2 at Hadlock Field.
Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia, who played five games with Portland, had his rehab assignment terminated by Boston because of “minor left knee soreness,” according to the Red Sox press release. He will remain on the injured list.
Pedroia, 35, has struggled to recover from “cartilage restoration” surgery in his knee, performed after the 2017 season. He played only three games in the majors last year.
Pedroia began 2019 with three rehab games in low Class A Greenville. Once in Boston, he played only six games before going back on the IL. Pedroia began a rehab stint May 2 in Portland. He went 4 for 16 in five games and sounded positive.
“Timing is good. It’s getting better,” he said recently.
But Pedroia was scratched from the Sea Dogs’ lineup Saturday, Sunday’s game was rained out, and on Monday the Red Sox announced Pedroia’s rehab assignment was over.
Once an assignment is ended, a player must be activated or remain inactive for at least five days before beginning a new assignment.
If Pedroia returns in five days, he could play home games for Triple-A Pawtucket or join the Sea Dogs in Reading, Pennsylvania.
But the question — which gets louder after every setback — is whether Pedroia will return.
During spring training Pedroia said if he was aware of the surgery’s complications, “I wouldn’t have done it.”
Without Pedroia, the Sea Dogs still had Dalbec, who led off the second inning by crushing a hanging curveball from Ashton Goudeau (2-2) over the left-field wall — 110 mph off the bat, an estimated 400 feet.
In Portland’s previous game, Saturday in Trenton, Dalbec hit three homers. Counting Monday’s home run, Dalbec enjoyed quite a streak over six straight plate appearances: homer, homer, double, walk (intentional), homer and homer.
“He’s seeing the pitches around the zone really well and laying off the others,” Sea Dogs manager Joe Oliver said.
Dalbec went 1 for 3, including a bases-loaded walk for his 22nd RBI. He’s batting .250/.910 OPS with seven home runs.
Hart (3-4, 2.59) continues to deal with his fastball, cutter, change-up and curve. He allowed two runs and struck out seven for a team-leading 49.
“He’s been doing it all year — throws strikes, gets ahead, moves the ball around with a nice four-pitch mix,” pitching coach Paul Abbott said.
Daniel McGrath pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his first save.
C.J. Chatham, batting .324, went 1 for 2 with a walk and sacrifice fly for Portland. Brett Netzer tripled, doubled and scored twice.
NOTES: The announced paid attendance was 3,237. … First baseman Joey Curletta left after four innings with a tweaked hamstring. … Dalbec was named the Eastern League Player of the Week after batting .500 with four home runs over four games. … New England Patriots center David Andrews is scheduled to appear at Tuesday’s game.
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