PORTLAND – No. 13 turned out to be lucky for the Portland Sea Dogs.

Ryan Cameron threw five shutout innings and combined with two relievers on a four-hitter as the Portland Sea Dogs blanked the Norwich Navigators 9-0 at sold-out Hadlock Field Friday night.

Cameron, the 13th different starting pitcher the Sea Dogs have used this season, scattered four hits in his first start since April 15 with Triple-A Pawtucket.

The right-hander, whose wind-up is similar to that of the New York Yankees’ Mike Mussina, struck out three and walked none.

“I was disappointed at first,” Cameron said of being demoted. “But I think it’s a positive thing. They wanted me to get regular work and work on establishing command of my fastball. That’s really what’s holding me back from getting a chance to go to Boston.”

Cameron’s only start for the PawSox was a spot start in the second game of a doubleheader. He made 26 relief appearances, going 1-3 with one save and a 4.79 earned run average before being sent to Portland last week.

He was sent down for the express purpose of starting regularly.

“I talked with (farm director Ben Cherington) and the people who made the decision and they really put a lot of thought into it,” said Cameron. “Here, I’m going to get to pitch every fifth day and work on the things they feel I need to work on.”

Rene Miniel threw three innings of hitless relief and James Johnson retired the side in order to close it out.

Jamie Athas was the only Navigator to reach second base after he walked in the eighth and moved up on a wild pitch.

Sean McGowan and Carlos Leon both had three hits and drove in a pair of runs.

Justin Sherrod walked three times and scored twice while Tony Schrager had two hits, a walk and also scored a pair of runs.

The Sea Dogs scored twice in both the second and fourth innings against Norwich starter Noah Lowry (6-5).

Sherrod walked to start the second and moved up on Schrager’s single.

McGowan doubled to right-center field to score Sherrod and two outs later Leon bounced a double over the head of third baseman Mike Cervanek to score Schrager.

McGowan and Leon had RBI singles in the fourth before the Sea Dogs broke it open with three runs in the sixth against a pair of relievers.

Ryan Cox surrendered a walk and two hits before walking Justin Headley to force in a run.

The other two runs scored when second baseman A.J. LaBarbera’s relay throw to first on a double play ball was wide of the bag.

“These guys really took it to us at their place (winning three of four last weekend) and we wanted to get back at them,” said McGowan, who was released by the Navigators’ parent club, the San Francisco Giants, earlier this season. “We did a good job getting on top but the pitching obviously controlled the game. We were on and off the field very quick.”

Things got a little heated when R.D. Spiehs hit Sherrod with the first pitch of the bottom of the seventh in apparent retaliation for a pair of high and tight pitches to Pat Hallmark in the top of the inning.

Both benches were warned by home plated umpire Brandon Cooper.

Schrager then doubled off of the wall in left field to put runners at second and third.

With McGowan at the plate, a pitch squirted away from catcher John Pachot and Sherrod broke from third.

Spiehs took the throw from Pachot and was barreled over by Sherrod, who was called out.

Spiehs was forced to leave the game with an unspecified injury.

“You’ve got a young pitcher (Miniel) on the mound and the ball got away from him a couple of times,” said Portland manager Ron Johnson. “It sure appeared that they didn’t care for that. I discussed it with (Norwich manager Shane Turner) and to me, it’s a done issue.”

Kevin Youkilis extended his on-base streak to 52 games with a RBI single in Portland’s two-run eighth.

The Sea Dogs remain tied atop the Eastern League’s Northern Division with New Haven, which beat Akron 4-3 in 10 innings.

Sea Dogs notes: The win was the 700th in franchise history….Erratic Sea Dogs reliever Mike Nicolas has been taken off of the Red Sox 40-man roster and outrighted to Portland after clearing waivers. He’ll likely be released, possibly as early as today….Junior Herndon (5-4, 4.71 ERA) opposes Boof Bonser (5-9, 3.71) tonight at 6 p.m. The game is sold out.

bfoley@sunjournal.com

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