TRENTON, N.J. — The good news for the Portland Sea Dogs is they’ll be leaving the road for a while after today’s game against the Trenton Thunder.

They no doubt can’t wait to return to Hadlock Field after Saturday night’s heartbreaking 4-3 loss to the Thunder at Waterfront Park made it seven straight road defeats and 18 losses in 21 road games this season.

Portland (12-26) wraps up the three-game series at 1:05 today before putting Trenton — and the road — in its rearview mirror for a bit. The Sea Dogs will play nine games in eight days at home and look to solve their problems.

This had to be one of the tougher defeats during the road skid.

After Chih-Hsien Chiang’s one-out homer in the ninth tied it at 3, Trenton’s Bradley Suttle lined a two-out, bases-loaded single to right in the bottom of the inning to give the Thunder six wins in eight games against Portland this season and drop the Sea Dogs a season-worst 14 games under .500.

Portland was without a hit since the third inning before Chiang lined a 1-1 fastball from closer Fernando Hernandez over the wall in right to tie it.

“He got a pitch he could drive and took an aggressive swing,” Sea Dogs Manager Kevin Boles said. “Definitely our guys were excited and it gave us new life.”

Portland had a chance to go ahead, but Tim Federowicz flied out with runners on first and second to end the inning.

Seth Garrison (0-1) walked the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth, and Suttle’s two-out drive over right fielder Chiang scored Addison Maruszak.

“We lost command of the zone there,” Boles said. “Their guys were able to work counts and Suttle came up with the big hit.”

Chiang, who was 3 for 25 (.120) in his previous eight games, went 2 for 2 and scored twice.

“Our guys, they battled hard,” Boles said. “We had a chance in the ninth and we’ve just got to stay positive.”

The Sea Dogs got a good start from Brock Huntzinger, who pitched out of trouble all game and allowed two runs on eight hits while striking out two and walking one in four innings. He came out for the fifth but left without facing a batter because of a blister on the middle finger of his pitching hand. Boles said he expects Huntzinger to make his next start.

Center fielder Jeremy Hazelbaker made his Double-A debut after getting called up earlier Saturday from Class A Salem. Hazelbaker, Boston’s fourth-round pick in the 2009 draft, was 1 for 5 with a double and flashed the speed that helped him to 63 steals last season at Class A Greenville.

“He’s a live body, very quick actions, and we’re excited to see him here,” Boles said.

Hazelbaker doubled home the Sea Dogs’ first run, lacing a fastball to the wall in right to drive in Chiang, who was running on the pitch and scored from first.

Excellent baserunning by Hazelbaker helped Portland go ahead 2-1 in the third. He advanced from second on Alex Hassan’s groundout to third and then scored on Ryan Lavarnway’s fly ball to deep center.

On the advance to third, Hazelbaker took off just as third baseman Suttle released the ball to first, and he just beat first baseman Maruszak’s return throw to third.

Trenton’s Austin Romine tied the game in the bottom of the third with an opposite-field homer to right.

The Sea Dogs loaded the bases with one out without a hit in the fourth, but Lavarnway grounded into a 4-6-3 double play to end the threat.

Trenton went ahead 3-2 in the sixth on Jose Gil’s two-out home run off Eammon Portice.

 

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