Starting pitcher Keith Couch turned in a solid performance and the top of the lineup came through in a big way as the Portland Sea Dogs rolled to a 9-6 win against the Trenton Thunder in an Eastern League baseball game at Hadlock Field on Friday night.
Couch allowed one run while scattering three hits in six innings to run his record to a team-best 9-4.
“He mixes pitches well and kept the defense engaged the entire outing,” Portland Manager Carlos Febles said.
Couch, who left the game with an 8-1 lead, got all the support he needed from the first three hitters in the Portland lineup.
Between them, Yoan Moncada, Mauricio Dubon and Aneury Tavarez collected 10 of the team’s 15 hits and scored all but one of its runs.
“Tavarez and Dubon have been great for the last two months, so it’s no surprise what they did tonight,” Febles said.
Dubon hit three doubles and two singles and scored three runs, while Tavarez drove in three runs with a single, double and triple. Moncada, who singled twice and walked, scored three runs.
“If Moncada can get on base in front of those two guys you feel you feel you’ve got a shot,” Febles said.
Tavarez is hitting a league-leading .335. Dubon, who started the season in Class A Salem, leads the Sea Dogs with a .352 average, but he won’t have enough at bats to qualify for the batting title.
“You always want to have speed in the top of the lineup and having three guys who can run is huge,” Febles said. “That creates a lot of opportunities for the middle of the lineup.”
Nate Freiman, who batted cleanup, drove in two runs with a double and single. Cody Decker, Ryan Court and Jake Romanski each hit sacrifice flies.
Brandon Workman, who played a key role for the Red Sox in the 2013 playoffs, continued his comeback from Tommy John surgery by making his third relief appearance for the Sea Dogs. He allowed five runs and six hits, including two home runs, in 21/3 innings.
“He had 55-60 pitches to work with,” Febles said. Workman threw 38 of 58 pitches for strikes.
“He got tired after a long eighth inning and the ball was not coming out of his hand the same way in the ninth,” Febles said.
NOTES: St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Brandon Moss and former Portland manager Todd Claus are the 2016 inductees into the Sea Dogs Hall of Fame. Both were part of the 2006 team that won the Eastern League title. Claus is now in the Red Sox scouting department.
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