Pitcher shows he earned selection New Sea Dog flirts with no-hitter

Justin Masterson wasted no time justifying his promotion from the Single-A Lancaster Jethawks to Double-A and the Portland Sea Dogs.

The Boston Red Sox Minor League Pitcher of the Month for June got off to a great start in July as well as he flirted with a no-hitter in his debut with the Sea Dogs Monday afternoon.

The 21-year-old righthander won his seventh straight minor league start after pitching 6 2/3 innings of no-hit ball in Portland’s 5-0 victory over New Hampshire at Hadlock Field in Portland.

The 6-foot-6, 250-pound native of Kingston, Jamaica, struck out a season-high nine batters while walking just two to earn Allied Home Mortgage Big Dog of the Game honors.

Masterson, who was Boston’s second-round pick in the Major League Baseball amateur draft last year, was relieved by Hunter Jones in the seventh and Jones kept the Fisher Cats hitless until there were two outs in the ninth. Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Lyle Overbay, who happened to be playing for New Hampshire as part of an injury rehabilitation stint, singled to break up the no-hitter. Overbay had already drawn two walks.

The Sea Dogs have only two no-hitters in their 14-year history and both have been combined no-hitters.

Portland’s last no-hitter came on Aug. 13, 2001. Current Red Sox All-Star pitcher Josh Beckett (seven innings) teamed with Brandon Bowe and Aaron Scheffer, who pitched one inning apiece, for the no-hitter.

Portland’s first no-hitter was a joint effort by current Los Angeles Dodger All-Star pitcher Brad Penny (six) and Luis Arroyo (3) on August 8, 1999.

Buchholz a two-star starter

Sea Dogs pitcher Clay Buchholz is leading the Eastern League in both strikeouts (116) and earned-run average (1.77), but he won’t be playing in the Eastern League All-Star Game today in Connecticut.

No, he wasn’t the latest example of a particularly egregious all-star snub. Buchholz was one of four Portland players selected, but he won’t be able to play because he was also picked to play in the prestigious Major League Baseball XM All-Star Futures Game at AT&T Park in San Francisco.

The 22-year-old right-handed starter pitched the sixth inning for the U.S. squad and gave up a solo home run to Cincinnati Reds prospect Joey Votto. The World team won the game 7-2. Former Sea Dog Jacoby Ellsbury did get in the game, however, and

Buchholz (7-2 in 15 starts) has allowed 55 hits and 22 walks in 86 2/3 innings. He was named E.L. Pitcher of the Week (June 25-July 1) and May’s Red Sox minor league pitcher of the month. On Tuesday, the native Texan was promoted to Triple-A Pawtucket.

Andrew Neff can be reached at 990-8205, 1-800-310-8600 or at aneff@bangordailynews.net