PORTLAND — Ryan Dent has been limping during most of his time at Hadlock Field. Mitch Dening has been sitting the bench for about half the games. Both have watched Chih-Hsien Chiang become an All-Star.

All three enjoyed their starring roles Friday night as the Portland Sea Dogs came back for a 10-6 victory against the New Britain Rock Cats before 5,829 at Hadlock Field.

Additional Photos

Chi-Hsien Chiang, right, is met by Alex Hassan after hitting a two-run homer in the fourth inning for the Sea Dogs. Photos by Derek Davis/Staff Photographer

Ryan Dent of the Portland Sea Dogs beats Michael Hollimon of New Britain to second for a force to end the fourth inning.

Down 5-2 in the eighth inning, Portland scored a run before Dening tied it with a two-run double.

Dent, on the disabled list since May 1 with a torn left hamstring, put the Sea Dogs ahead with a two-run single.

And Chiang continued his emergence as a genuine prospect with a three-run homer, his second of the night and team-leading 16th overall.

It added up to an eight-run eighth and a celebrated victory for the Sea Dogs (36-55). Dening, for one, was excited.

“That was the biggest at-bat of the year for me,” said Dening, who has been Portland’s fourth outfielder.

Eammon Portice (3-4) got the win with one inning of relief (seven pitches/five strikes).

Starter Brock Huntzinger looked dominant early, retiring the first seven batters, the first three by strikeout.

“Coming out of the gate, I felt strong,” Huntzinger said.

Huntzinger eventually gave up a couple of home runs and doubles, and exited in the fifth inning. He allowed five runs on six hits and four walks.

Chiang’s two-run homer in the fourth, off the roof of the bullpen in right field, was all Portland could muster until the eighth.

Deolis Guerra (5-7), a member of the Twins’ 40-man roster, was New Britain’s third pitcher of the night. He struggled.

A hit batter and two walks loaded the bases with one out. Jon Hee lined an RBI single off Guerra, closing the score to 5-3.

Rock Cats left-handed closer Tyler Robertson came in to face the left-handed Dening and got ahead 0-2. Dening fouled off three pitches, worked it to 2-2 and doubled to left-center.

“After those first two pitches, I said I really need to knuckle down now,” Dening said. “He kept throwing (sliders). I just fouled them off. He gave me one fastball and I hit it.”

Then came Dent, in his first game at Hadlock since April.

“It’s been a struggle. Mentally it was tough,” said Dent. He also fell behind 0-2 to Robertson.

“Then he threw me a change-up, left it over the plate, and I was able to put the barrel on the ball.”

Dent’s single put Portland up 7-5. With two outs, Alex Hassan walked and Chiang got another fastball. He crushed it over three layers of signage in center field.

“He’s hitting the ball hard,” Manager Kevin Boles said.

Thanks to his five RBI, Chiang leads the Eastern League with 67.

NOTES: Reliever Cesar Cabral came in for Huntzinger and pitched one-hit ball over 21/3 innings, striking out three. Portice was the only pitcher not to yield a walk. Each staff issued eight. Blake Maxwell, in a non-save situation, allowed one run in the ninth.

Former Sea Dogs third baseman Jorge Jimenez signed with the Reds after his contract was purchased from the independent-league Brockton Rox. In other independent news, former Sea Dogs left-hander Andrew Dobies was named to the Atlantic League All-Star game.

Staff Writer Kevin Thomas can be reached at 791-6411 or at:
kthomas@pressherald.com
Twitter: ClearTheBases

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