The last-place Portland Sea Dogs have been able to contend well against one team in the East Division — the first-place New Hampshire Fisher Cats.
The Sea Dogs topped New Hampshire 5-4 before 6,163 at Hadlock Field on Thursday night.
Portland (35-53) is 5-5 against the Fisher Cats (49-39).
Down 4-3 in the seventh inning, the Sea Dogs rallied for two runs, capped by Tate Matheny’s winning sacrifice fly.
Michael Chavis, in his first game at Hadlock Field this season, swatted a two-run homer in the sixth.
Travis Lakins (2-2) continued his dominance out of the bullpen with a hitless seventh to earn the win.
Sea Dogs starter Dedgar Jimenez continued his bittersweet trend of pitching well but giving up the big inning.
Jimenez allowed four runs in the first on a walk and three hits, including Max Pentecost’s three-run homer. Jimenez followed with five scoreless innings.
Portland chipped away, starting with a run in the second (Matheny scoring on Jhon Nunez’s RBI single).
In the fifth, Jeremy Rivera singled on a bunt. With two outs, Chavis sent a Josh DeGraaf slider to center field for a two-run blast.
In the seventh, off New Hampshire reliever Kirby Snead (2-3), the Sea Dogs loaded the bases (fielding error and two walks) with no outs.
Danny Mars scored on a passed ball, tying the game. After another walk, Matheny flied out to deep center field, scoring Chavis for a 5-4 lead.
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