MANCHESTER — Brett Cecil and relievers Danny Farquhar and Ron Uviedo combined on the first no-hitter in the Eastern League this season as New Hampshire beat Portland, 6-0, in the series opener Monday night.

Red Sox top pitching prospect Anthony Ranaudo made his second Double-A start, but a triumvirate of Fisher Cats stole the spotlight before 5,481 fans at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium.

Cecil pitched 5 2/3 innings, followed by Farquhar (2 1/3) and closer Uviedo, who pitched the ninth inning. While a fan at suite level chanted “No hits, no runs,” Uviedo locked down the no-no by retiring Bryce Brentz on a grounder to shortstop.

It was the third no-hitter in franchise history, an elite pitchers' club that includes Jamie Vermilyea (2004) and Kyle Drabek (2010). Portland has been no-hit five times since 1996.

Cecil, making his third start since returning from a groin injury, had eight strikeouts with three walks. In the sixth, after throwing his 86th pitch, Cecil was relieved by Farquhar. No sense leaving Cecil (2-2) in the game much longer.

“Brett's building back up. His stuff was crisp. He worked both sides of the plate and changed speeds,” Blue Jays minor league pitching coordinator Dane Johnson said. “With that kind of command and breaking stuff, he could've pitched in the big leagues tonight.”

With two outs in the eighth, Sea Dogs leadoff hitter Ryan Dent slapped a pitch up the middle that was barehanded by second baseman Brian Bocock, who fired to first base for the out. It was a tough play for Bocock, called up from Single-A Dunedin and activated on Monday.

Uviedo said his adrenalin was flowing at “150 percent.” New Hampshire (17-25) snapped a three-game losing streak and stayed ahead of last-place Portland (15-28) The Fisher Cats scored five earned runs against Ranaudo (0-1), who took the loss after exiting in the sixth. Mike McDade's two-run double made it 3-0 in the third inning, and the lead to ballooned to 6-0 on Bocock's run-scoring double in the sixth.

McDade (3-for-4) knocked in three runs, and Bocock (2-for-3) had two RBIs. Bocock replaced Koby Clemens on the active roster. Clemens was sent to Advanced-A Dunedin.

Former Keene Swamp Bats reliever Josh Fields pitched the ninth for Portland.