Jarren Duran swung at the first Double-A pitch he saw and grounded to the second baseman. It should have been a routine play with Duran out by a mile. The throw did beat Duran to first, but not by much, as he flew up the base path.

“Speeds plays,” Sea Dogs Manger Joe Oliver said.

Duran, the outfielder who has sprinted into the spotlight, went 1 for 3 with a walk and run, in his Sea Dogs debut, as Portland beat the Richmond Flying Squirrels 5-2 Tuesday night at Hadlock Field for their fourth straight win.

It was a day of debuts at Hadlock. Newly-signed pitcher Konner Wade made his first start and allowed two runs over six innings. Reliever Kevin Lenik (1-0) pitched for the first time in the Red Sox organization, getting the win with two scoreless innings, with three strikeouts. Wade came from the independent leagues. Lenik was released by the Royals’ organization.

Jarren Duran of the Sea Dogs is greeted in the dugout after scoring a run against the Richmond Flying Squirrels Tuesday. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Staff Photographer

First baseman Joey Curletta, the player picked off waivers from Seattle, homered and hit a sacrifice fly. Jerry Downs’ sacrifice fly scored the winning run in the seventh, and Tate Matheny added insurance with a two-run single in the eighth.

Duran, 22, drew the attention, making his anticipated first game with Portland. A seventh-round draft pick last year, out of Long Beach State, Duran has hit consistently since he turned pro, from his combined .357 average last year at the lower levels, to his .387 average in 50 games with advanced Class A Salem this year, with a .998 OPS and 18 stolen bases.

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With those numbers, wasn’t Duran getting antsy for a promotion?

“I just put it out of my mind. It’s not in my control so I didn’t want to overthink it,” Duran said.

In the same way, Duran does not put extra emphasis on his gaudy stats or his arrival to Double-A. “Same approach,” he said. Portland is a “different level but same ballgame … You can’t get caught up in your results. It’s just a process.”

And if you want to Tweet or post something about Duran, he won’t notice.

“I don’t have social media, so I don’t get caught up in all the noise,” Duran said.

Oliver only saw Duran a couple times in spring training. “I know he has some tools,” he said. “And he seems pretty grounded.”

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With the Sea Dogs down 1-0, Duran walked in the fourth, eventually reached third and scored on Curletta’s fly to left. Richmond again took the lead, and Curletta’s homer, his second with Portland in 11 games, tied it. Downs’ and Matheny’s RBI gave the Sea Dogs a 5-2 lead.

In the ninth, Richmond loaded the bases with one out, on two singles and a walk against Sea Dogs reliever Durbin Feltman. Pitching coach Paul Abbott visited, and Feltman responded with a strikeout and a 3-1 groundout for his second save.

Feltman, another 2018 draft pick (third round), had a 11.00 ERA over his first nine outings. In his next nine, he has allowed seven hits, three walks and two runs.

“He’s been pitching well,” Abbott said. “He’s been a professional for a year now. This is a tough level and he’s discovered precision is important.”

NOTES: Sea Dogs third baseman Bobby Dalbec, who played for the University of Arizona, reached out to current Wildcats infielder Cameron Cannon, who was Boston’s first pick in the 2019 draft. “I just told him congratulations and, once things settle down, to give me a call.” Dalbec lives in Arizona and got to know Cannon when he was a freshman … Portland shortstop C.J. Chatham, out with a strained hamstring, took batting practice and began running. He could be a week away from returning … Sea Dogs outfielder Cody Asche was placed on the injured list with a bruised shin … The announced paid attendance was 3,524 … Richmond Manager Willie Harris was ejected in the seventh inning for comments made from the dugout … The Red Sox announced that former Sea Dogs right-handed pitcher Mike Shawaryn will make his major league debut Thursday in a start against the Royals.


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