PORTLAND – Hopefully, the Portland Sea Dogs made a lasting impression.

The Sea Dogs pounded out 15 hits and batted around in the order in three different innings while topping the Norwich Navigators 14-4 at sold-out Hadlock Field Sunday afternoon.

In the series, the Sea Dogs ripped Norwich pitching for 40 runs and 48 hits while winning three of four games.

The fans will have relatively few chances to cheer on the home team in the next few weeks.

The Sea Dogs flew out of Portland this morning and will begin a seven-game road trip in Bowie, Md., tonight against the Baysox.

Twenty-four of the Sea Dogs next 33 games are away from the cozy confines of Hadlock Field.

“If you look at the travel back and forth, this is the worst I’ve ever seen,” Johnson said of a schedule that also has Portland riding the bus to Binghamton, N.Y., and Reading, Pa., immediately after brief homestands. “We’re going to separate the men from the boys here the next few weeks.”

There was little question who were the men and who were the boys in this game.

After falling behind 1-0, the Sea Dogs sent nine men to the plate and scored four times on just two hits in the bottom of the third against the appropriately named Mitch Walk.

The Navigators’ starter hit Trace Coquillette to start the inning before issuing a pair of free passes to load the bases.

Walk (4-10) then walked Tony Schrager on four pitches to force in the tying run.

The Sea Dogs took the lead on a double play grounder before Sean McGowan belted out the first of his three hits.

Brian Loyd doubled home McGowan, who had stolen second base.

Loyd finished the day with three hits and a pair of RBIs in his first game with the Sea Dogs since he tore ligaments in his knee on April 21.

“I was jittery,” said Loyd. “The first inning, my first at-bat, it was like Opening Day. As the game progressed, I calmed down.”

Walk was pulled after he gave up a double to Coquillette leading off the bottom of the fourth.

Eastern League All-Star Kevin Vent fared no better, giving up four singles, a double and a walk as Portland stretched its lead to 9-1.

Sea Dogs starter Tim Kester gave up three runs in the top of the sixth, including a drive into the net on top of the left field wall to Alejandro Freire. It was Freire’s 16th home run of the season.

Kester (5-7) exited after the inning having given up eight hits while walking none and striking out two. It was his first win since June 24.

“Kester set the mood,” said Loyd. “He was throwing strikes and they swing early in the count. It made for some quick outs.”

The Sea Dogs scored five times in the seventh, with the key hits being Carlos Leon’s triple, and run-scoring doubles by Sherrod and Loyd.

Scott Aldred, a veteran of nine major league seasons, tossed two hitless innings in his first appearance since being sent down from Triple-A Pawtucket.

With the win, the Sea Dogs pulled into a tie with New Haven atop the Eastern League’s Northern Division. The Ravens lost to Akron, 11-3.

“We were in first place when I left and we’re in first place now,” said Loyd. “I’m just happy to be a part of it.”

Sea Dogs notes: Kevin Youkilis extended his on-base streak to 54 games with a first-inning single…The first three batters in the Sea Dogs’ lineup, Coquillette, Justin Headley and Youkilis, all scored three times….Headley reached base five times, with two hits and three walks…. At 35, Aldred is the oldest Sea Dog ever….The Sea Dogs made a couple of roster moves after the game. Pitcher Jorge De La Rosa was taken off the temporary inactive list and pitcher Brett Rudrude was sent back to Class-A Sarasota. Infielder Raul Nieves, who has been on the disabled list since June 1 with a broken bone in his foot, will join the team in Bowie today. To make room on the roster for Nieves, Jim Goelz was put on the DL with a stress fracture in his leg….First baseman Dustin Brisson decided to report to Class-A Augusta. Brisson hit .223 with four home runs and 32 RBIs in 59 games with the Sea Dogs….Mike Nicolas, who was released after Saturday night’s game, has reportedly signed with the Philadelphia Phillies.

bfoley@sunjournal.com

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