PORTLAND – Maybe the Norwich Navigators were just resting up.

A night after being held to four singles while being shut out, the Navigators exploded for 10 runs in the first three innings while outslugging the Portland Sea Dogs 15-11 at sold-out Hadlock Field Saturday night.

Adam Shabala had four hits, including a home run, and drove in four runs for Norwich, which pounded out 19 hits against four different Portland pitchers.

All nine players in the Navigators line-up had at least one hit and scored once.

“The bottom line of that game that sums it up is 15 (runs) and 19 (hits),” Portland manager Ron Johnson said as he perused a boxscore. “You don’t win those games. You tip your hat to the opposition, roll out of bed (today) and do it again.”

Tony Schrager hit a pair of three-run home runs for the Sea Dogs.

It was the second time Schrager has knocked in six runs in a game this season.

Carlos Leon was a home run away from the cycle, finishing the night with three hits and three runs scored.

Justin Headley also homered for Portland, which built a 7-5 edge after two seesaw innings only to see the lead evaporate in the top of the third.

Pat Hallmark’s home run leading off the inning spelled the end of the night for an ineffective Junior Herndon.

Herndon gave up six runs and six hits, including three home runs.

Charlie Weatherby fared no better as seven of the first eight batters he faced reached, with the only out coming on Alejandro Freire’s sacrifice fly that capped off the five-run outburst.

The first three innings of the game took over 90 minutes to complete.

“I’m just glad it slowed down,” said Norwich manager Shane Turner. “I don’t think any of us would have had any pitching left if that kept going the way it was.”

Weatherby (2-2) pitched into the seventh and exited after allowing a home run to former Sea Dog John Pachot and a single.

Mike Nicolas stayed true to form in his swan song with the Sea Dogs, surrendering two hits, a walk and three runs while also hitting a batter in one inning.

Nicolas was released after the game.

He went 4-2 with a 6.06 earned run average in 20 games.

In 32 2/3 innings, Nicolas struck out 37, walked 33, hit nine batters and uncorked eight wild pitches.

Boof Bonser (6-9) picked up the win despite allowing eight runs, seven hits and five walks in five innings.

“He came back and gave us five innings,” Turner said of Bonser. “That was huge for us because we were able to use only two guys out of the bullpen.”

With the loss, Portland fell into second place in the Eastern League’s Northern Division, a game behind New Haven, which beat Akron 9-1.

Sea Dogs notes: First baseman Dustin Brisson has been given the option of going to low Class-A Augusta or being released. Brisson will let the team know his decision sometime today. … Pitcher Scott Aldred and infielder Trace Coquillette will join the Sea Dogs today from Triple-A Pawtucket. The pair became expendable when the Red Sox sent Freddy Sanchez and Jason Sheill to Pawtucket. A couple of other moves will need to be made in the next day or so when infielder Raul Nieves comes off the disabled and pitcher Jorge De La Rosa is removed from the temporary inactive list. Those transactions likely will involve some current Sea Dogs moving up a level. “I would expect there would be some upward movement in the relatively near future,” said Red Sox farm director Ben Cherington. “There are some guys who have been performing and have been at this level long enough that they deserve an opportunity to go up.” Kevin Youkilis extended his on-base streak to 53 games with a first-inning walk. ….Tim Kester (4-7, 3.88 ERA) opposes Norwich’s Mitch Walk (3-9, 4.19) in the series finale today at 1 p.m. The game is sold out.

bfoley@sunjournal.com

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