PORTLAND – Kevin Youkilis’ ability to get on base has never been questioned.

Youkilis extended his on base streak to 46 consecutive games with a first-inning double Monday night and has reached in 75 of 77 games overall.

This after posting a .457 on-base percentage in his first two professional seasons.

If there is one area Youkilis needs to improve on his ascent toward Fenway Park, it’s his play at third base.

Baseball America’s Prospects Handbook says “(Youkilis’) feet, hands and work ethic will allow him to be a solid average third baseman.”

Portland Sea Dogs manager Ron Johnson says he can be better than that.

“He’s got great range to his right and he’s been working on going to his left,” said Johnson. “I think he can become a very good defensive player. He’s starting to show me he is.”

Youkilis made a pair of stellar plays during the eighth inning of Sunday’s win over New Haven, first making a sliding catch in front of the third base dugout and then saving a pair of runs with a diving backhand grab and subsequent throw to first base to end the inning.

“Luckily, it stayed in and didn’t hit the top of the dugout,” Youkilis said of the first play. “The other one I was just trying to knock down.”

Youkilis has steadily improved after making 12 errors in the first two months of the season.

He’s made four since, one of which came on a routine grounder in the ninth inning of Sunday’s game.

“They hit it right at him and screwed it up,” joked Johnson. “They should have blasted it somewhere where he had to dive.”

Youkilis can’t pinpoint exactly why he struggled with the glove early on, although the cold weather could have been a factor.

The grass and dirt around third base at Hadlock Field has also been the target of many a third basemen’s scorn over the years.

“I don’t know what it was,” said Youkilis. “But I’m starting to make the plays on a more consistent basis. That’s the key.”

One more step

When Youkilis snared the foul pop on Sunday with two men on, he fell into the New Haven dugout allowing the runners to advance a base.

He actually would have been better off standing in the dugout while making the catch.

Rule 7.04C of the Major League Rulebook states that a player can reach or step into the dugout to make a catch, with the ball still being in play.

Because Youkilis caught the ball on the field and then fell into the dugout, the ball was ruled dead and a base was awarded to the runners.

Just don’t swing

Dustin Brisson grounded out with the bases loaded to end the third inning Tuesday night.

Brisson is now 0-for-12 with two RBIs with the bases loaded this season.

Both of the RBIs came on game-winning walks.

Montalbano to return

Left-hander Greg Montalbano pitched five innings Monday in his latest rehab start in Florida and will return to Portland today.

Montalbano has been on the disabled list since May 4 with shoulder tendinitis.

New and notes

New Haven swept this past week’s Eastern League honors. Ravens shortstop Russ Adams was named Player of the Week after hitting .500 (15-for-30) in seven games. Teammate David Bush was tabbed as Pitcher of the Week after going 2-0 and striking out 15 in 13 innings over two starts. Former Boston Bruins defenseman and coach Mike Milbury and current New York Islanders general manager was part of Monday night’s sellout crowd. Yankees’ center fielder Bernie Williams went 3-for-11 with two doubles and an RBI over the weekend in a major league rehabilitation assignment with Trenton. Casey Fossum makes his second rehabilitation start opposite New Britain’s Brian Wolfe (2-4, 7.36) tonight at 7 p.m. Fossum will throw two innings and be followed into the game by Jorge De La Rosa (5-3, 3.50).

bfoley@sunjournal.com

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