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04/09/2008 10:33 PM ET
Cowart living the hard-knock life
Defenders hurler finding it tough to win in the Eastern League
By Eric Justic / Special to MLB.com
Giants prospect Adam Cowart will be looking to pick up his first Double-A win in his next start. (Tom Priddy/MLB.com)

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There are hard-luck losses and then there are Adam Cowart's first two starts in the Eastern League.

The right-hander has surrendered two runs -- one earned -- on eight hits in his first 10 1/3 frames with the Connecticut Defenders.

Outpitching Cowart this season hasn't been easy so far, but that's exactly what the Portland Sea Dogs did, as their two-hitter was enough for a 1-0 win.

Cowart (0-1), who went 14-7 for Class A Augusta in 2007, was dominant for the second straight outing. He yielded an unearned run on two hits and two walks with four strikeouts in six innings, but was saddled with the loss.

Portland reliever Miguel Asencio (1-0), who joined the Sea Dogs from extended spring training on Wednesday, walked one and fanned one in 2 2/3 hitless innings. Kyle Jackson walked one in 1 1/3 innings before Beau Vaughan pitched around a walk in the ninth inning for his second save. Starter Daniel Haigwood gave up two hits and struck out seven without a walk in four frames.

Tony Granadillo reached on shortstop Olmo Rosario's fielding error and scampered home from third base on Jeff Natale's slow roller in front of the plate in the seventh for the game's lone run.

The 24-year-old Cowart gave up a pair of base hits in the third and allowed two runners into scoring position. While many pitchers with his stats have already notched two in the win column, Cowart will be aiming once again for his elusive first Double-A career victory.

Eric Justic is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.