PORTLAND, Maine — Working to climb out of the basement, the Fisher Cats racked up 15 hits and righty Deck McGuire pitched six strong innings to defeat the Portland Sea Dogs, 6-3, in a battle of division foes Wednesday night.

Mike McDade went 3-for-5, and everyone in the New Hampshire lineup had at least one hit before 4,185 fans at Hadlock Field. The last-place Fisher Cats (30-46) have won eight of their last 11 to move within a half-game of fifth-place Portland (31-46).

McGuire, who avoided becoming the first 10-game loser in the Eastern League, won for the first time since May 17 after allowing two runs on five hits. The big righty struck out four, improving to 3-9 on the season. Portland threatened in the first inning, with Jeremy Hazelbaker ripping a double off the right-field wall, but McGuire escaped the rally by giving up one run on a Bryce Brentz sacrifice fly.

New Hampshire five consecutive hits in the third inning, taking a 4-1 lead, and they kept pounding Sea Dogs righty Jeremy Kehrt (2-1) for four runs and 11 hits.

In the seventh, McDade and Mark Sobolewski belted back-to-back doubles, and Kevin Howard singled off reliever Caleb Clay. Brian Van Kirk’s added a sacrifice fly as the Fisher Cats scored their second run off Clay.

Super-tough lefty Aaron Loup worked the final three innings to earn the save for New Hampshire. Portland trimmed the deficit to 6-3 on Matt Spring’s fourth homer of the year, a solo shot in the ninth.

Spring’s homer cleared the “Maine Monster” in left field and struck a Sullivan Tire advertisement, nearly earning Spring and a lucky fan $5,000 apiece. (The ball would’ve had to go through a tire on the sign.)

Bradley, a lightning-fast center fielder, went 2-for-5 with a double. In the third inning, he singled and was caught stealing after oversliding second base. New Hampshire guaranteed itself at least a split of the series heading into tonight at Hadlock Field.

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Kevin Gray's email address is kgray@unionleader.com. Twitter: @graymatter11.