Jul. 21—Tim Cate got a glimpse of what he hopes his future is like Tuesday when the Manchester native matched up with Boston Red Sox left-hander Chris Sale as Sale made a rehab start for the Portland Sea Dogs against Cate and the Harrisburg Senators.
The former Cheney Tech and UConn southpaw, a 2018 second-round draft pick by the Washington Nationals, matched Sale pitch for pitch with the Red Sox ace leaving after 3 Î hitless innings.
But after being handed a lead in the top of the sixth inning, Cate could not record an out in the bottom of the frame and took the loss. The Sea Dogs’ 6-3 victory before a sellout crowd of 7,368 at Hadlock Field in Portland was their 14th straight win.
Sale, on the comeback trail from Tommy John surgery, walked one and struck out six while throwing 49 pitches, 34 for strikes. It was his second rehab start. He pitched three shutout innings Thursday for the Red Sox’s Florida Complex League affiliate.
Cate allowed one hit through five innings and was given a 2-0 lead in the top of the sixth on a two-run homer by Aldrem Corredor before Portland got its offense in gear.
Jeisson Rosario led off with a walk and was singled to third by Pedro Castellano. Devlin Granberg singled to plate Rosario and end Cate’s night.
Reliever Jhon Romero came on and his wild pitch brought in Castellano with the tying run. Romero then got two outs but Ronaldo Harrison singled to score Granberg to put Portland in front. After a single by Ryan Fitzgerald, Tanner Nishioka and Grant Williams delivered RBI singles to make it 5-2.
Portland added a run in the eighth on Fitzgerald’s RBI while Jackson Cluff smacked a solo home run in the ninth for the Senators.
Cate allowed three hits and three runs with two walks and four strikeouts. His record fell to 2-5 and his earned run average rose to 5.18. In 13 starts this season, the 23-year-old has worked 64Ï innings and given up 67 hits. He has walked 24 and fanned 55. Batters are hitting .261 against him and he has a WHIP of 1.41.