The New Haven pitcher goes the distance and limits Portland to just one earned run.
By Bill Foley
Assistant Sports Editor

PORTLAND – New Haven pitching coach Dane Johnson trudged out to the mound in the bottom of the ninth inning and gave Chris Baker a simple message.

“He told me it was my last hitter,” said Baker. “He said, ‘Go get this guy, he’s your last guy.'”

Baker got Eric Owens to line out weakly to second base to cap off a complete-game performance as the Ravens topped the Portland Sea Dogs 8-3 before a crowd of 5,171 at Hadlock Field Friday night.

The right-hander threw just 104 pitches while limiting the Sea Dogs to just one earned run.

“He went right after us,” said Portland manager Ron Johnson. “He was very impressive.”

New Haven, which came into the game leading the Eastern League with a .304 batting average, had 13 hits against four Portland pitchers.

Josh Stevens (2-1) suffered his first loss of the season after giving up eight hits and six runs (four earned) in 5 2/3 innings.

Trailing 2-0 after three innings, the Ravens took the lead for good with three runs in the top of the fourth.

Gabe Gross homered with one out. Stevens issued his only walk of the game to Simon Pond and Pond scored on John Ford-Griffin’s double after moving up on a passed ball. Matt Logan then reached on the first of three Sea Dog errors before Griffin scored on a sacrifice fly.

New Haven added a run with three straight singles in the fifth before getting to Stevens again with two outs in the sixth.

Guillermo Quiroz doubled over the head of Owens in center field and scored on Danny Solano’s line drive back through the box.

“I wasn’t making key pitches in key situations,” said Stevens. “They’ve got some strong hitters who will let you know when you don’t.”

Baker, meanwhile, cruised through the middle innings, giving up just three hits between the second and eighth innings.

In the ninth, Justin Headley doubled and moved to third on Andy Dominique’s third hit of the night, a single to left field.

Tonayne Brown followed with a dribbler up the first-base line that Baker couldn’t corral as Headley scored.

Three of the Sea Dogs eight hits were of the infield variety.

“They got a couple of bleeders and there’s nothing you can do about that,” said New Haven manager Marty Pevey. “I don’t think there was ever a point where (Baker) was in trouble.”

It was the fourth straight quality outing for Baker (2-0), who lowered his earned run average to an even two.

Baker won 15 games two years ago for Tennessee in the Double-A Southern League. Last season while with Triple-A Syracuse he experienced pain in his pitching shoulder and eventually ended up on the disabled list before having surgery.

“I finally found the arm slot I was throwing out of two years ago,” said Baker. “I told myself I wasn’t going to baby it and now it’s coming back pain-free.”

The Sea Dogs scored twice in the bottom of the first inning.

Nelson Castro led off with a single and moved to second when Kevin Youkilis was hit by a pitch with one out.

Headley flew out and Baker appeared to be out of the inning when Justin Sherrod hit a bouncer to third base. But Pond’s throw to first base was directly in the sun and got past Matt Logan as Castro scored.

Dominique then legged out a dribbler to third base for an infield hit as Youkilis scored to make it 2-0.

“We got some gifts early and didn’t do anything else until that last inning,” said Johnson. “You’ve got to give (Baker) credit. He did a great job.”

Sea Dogs notes: Red Sox farm director Ben Cherington said the team was aware of the legal problems of pitcher Michael Nicolas, who was acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday and assigned to the Sea Dogs. Nicolas was charged with inflicting corporal injury on his wife in January. “We researched it pretty thoroughly and we’re prepared to deal with it,” said Cherington. Nicolas had 121 strikeouts in 77 innings last season for Class A Lake Elsinore in the California League. He was rated the San Diego Padres No. 8 prospect but was put on waivers and claimed by the Brewers on Wednesday. “We’re not going into it blind,” said Cherington. “But at the same time we feel there is a significant upside as to what he can offer. He’s a special arm.” Nicolas is expected to arrive in Portland today….Owens made a great running catch before slamming into the wall to take a hit away from Kurt Keene in the sixth. Sherrod had robbed Pond of extra bases an inning earlier….Catcher Brian Loyd had MRI Friday on his left knee. Loyd hurt the knee sliding into second base Sunday against New Britain. The training staff was waiting on the test results……Greg Montalbano (1-0, 7.88 ERA) opposes New Haven’s Pete Bauer (1-1, 2.70) today at 1 p.m.