PORTLAND – In the end, Red Sox farm director Ben Cherington was on his cell phone calling for reinforcements.

Alexis Rios hit a grand slam off of newly acquired reliever Mike Nicolas as part of an eight-run seventh inning as the New Haven Ravens topped the Sea Dogs 9-1 to salvage a split of a doubleheader Sunday afternoon at Hadlock Field.

In the second game, Portland was forced to send a hobbled Andy Dominique to the plate as a pinch-hitter and use pitcher Charlie Weatherby to pinch-run as an assortment of injuries depleted the roster.

As Cherington watched the second game unravel, he phoned catcher Kelly Shoppach, who was en route from Florida and due to join the team Tuesday and told him to pick up the pace.

“He’s close enough that he’ll be here (today),” Cherington joked when asked exactly where the Red Sox’s prized prospect was.

“It was last man standing out there,” said Portland manager Ron Johnson, who lost shortstop Nelson Castro (hand), and Dominique (groin strain) just hours after putting catcher Brian Loyd (knee) on the disabled list and learning he would be without the services of rehabbing catcher Jeff Smith (knee) for both games of the doubleheader.

The Sea Dogs also got a scare when catcher John Nathans was hit in back of the head by a pitch from New Haven’s Rob Hamann in the third inning of the first game, which Portland won 7-4.

But when Johnson got over to first base from the third-base coaching box, he knew Nathans was okay.

“I asked him who he was and he told me ‘Jorge Posada'”, said Johnson.

Nathans caught all 14 innings of the twin bill after not having started any of the first 13 games.

“I want to give him a game ball,” said Johnson. “He hustled the whole time and blocked everything and had a big RBI single.”

The Sea Dogs had built a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning of the opener on Justin Headley’s sacrifice fly and Dominique’s towering home run into the screen in left field against the Ravens’ Peter Bauer.

Bauer (1-2) self-destructed in the third inning, giving up a hit, three walks and hitting a batter before giving way to Hamann, who promptly plunked Nathans with the bases loaded to make it 5-0.

“That was scary,” said Nathans, whose helmet was cracked from back to front. “Luckily, the helmet did it’s job.”

New Haven answered with three runs in the top of the fourth against Greg Montalbano.

After a sacrifice fly, Justin Singleton’s drive into the right field scored two more runs. Singleton was thrown out try to stretch the hit into a double by Justin Sherrod, who went over to line, pivoted and threw a strike to Castro at second base to end the inning.

Montalbano (2-0) worked his way out a bases loaded jam in the fifth before exiting. The left-hander, who had struggled with his control in each of his three previous outings after missing all of last season with a shoulder injury, gave up seven hits, struck out five and walked just one.”

“I felt loose and fluid,” said Montalbano, who found a couple of flaws in his delivery while working with pitching coach Bob Kipper on Saturday. “That’s how I feel when I’m on and everything is in sync.”

Nathans’ first Double-A hit scored a run in the bottom of the fifth.

Raul Nieves drove home another run an inning later to give Portland what seemed like a comfortable 7-3 lead heading into the top of the seventh.

But a single and a pair of walks brought Griffin to the plate as the tying run with one out against closer Anastacio Martinez. After a long foul ball down the right-field line, Griffin struck out. Martinez then hit Paul Chiaffredo to force in a run, but struck out Singleton looking to record his first save.

The Sea Dogs wasted a solid performance from Junior Herndon in the nightcap.

Herndon allowed just four hits and one run in six innings before being lifted for a pinch-hitter in a 1-1 game.

“I wasn’t afraid to let Junior hit,” said Johnson. “He was in the National League (with San Diego), so I know he’s had some at-bats. I thought he had done enough.”

Jason Arnold (2-1) matched Herndon pitch for pitch, allowing just three hits and a run, on Kevin Youkilis’ wall double in the bottom of the fourth, in six innings.

In the top of the seventh, James Johnson (0-2) walked Paul Logan leading off.

Nicolas was brought on and walked the next three hitters to force in the go-head run.

One out after Rios’ drive into the net in left field, Griffin homered off of Jake Chapman.

After the game, the Sea Dogs were left scrambling for bodies.

“It was just one of those days,” Johnson said in reference to the injuries. “I’m glad the bosses are here, because we’re going to have a little pow-wow.”

Sea Dogs notes: In addition to Cherington, Red Sox GM Theo Epstein and a host of roving instructors, including former Sea Dog manager Lynn Jones were in attendance….Jorge De La Rosa (1-2, 5.59 ERA) opposes Reading’s Mike Wilson (0-2, 2.84) as the Sea Dogs and Phillies open a four-game series tonight at 6 p.m.