PORTLAND – Already the winningest Sea Dogs pitcher this year, Jeremy Kehrt enjoyed victory No. 8 Friday night, with a 13-6 Portland victory over the Reading Phillies, before 5,144 at Hadlock Field.

Kehrt (8-3) allowed four runs (three earned) over six innings, striking out two.

Xander Bogaerts, 19, continued his impressive Sea Dogs debut, going 2 for 4 with a double and three RBI. He is batting .321 with 17 RBI in 20 games.

“The things he does at such an early age is impressive,” Sea Dogs Manager Kevin Boles said.

Travis Shaw, Zach Gentile and Shannon Wilkerson all had two RBI for Portland.

Reading (74-65) was looking to secure an Eastern League playoff spot but will have to wait at least another day.

Reading slugger Darin Ruff went 1 for 3 with a single, ending his quest to become professional baseball’s all-time leader for home runs in a month. Ruff finished August with 20 home runs — tied with Sammy Sosa’s 20 homers hit with the Chicago Cubs in July of 1998.

Kehrt, 26, is in his third season with the Sea Dogs as both a starter (40 starts) and reliever (28 appearances). He finishes 2012 with a 4.15 ERA (2.70 his last 10 starts).

A 47th-round draft pick in 2008 out of the University of Southern Indiana, Kehrt has improved each season with his fastball, curve and change-up command.

“I’ve kind of learned every year,” Kehrt said. “The last month and half has been the best I’ve pitched.”

Kehrt worked with a big lead lead as Reading starter Brody Colvin (1-4) struggled. Bogaerts’ two-run double highlighted a four-run first inning.

Colvin, making his sixth Double-A start, gave up nine runs on six hits, four walks and three hit-batters over 31/3 innings.

Portland scored four in the eighth, keyed by RBI singles from Jackie Bradley Jr., Peter Hissey and Bogaerts.

Sea Dogs closer Peter Olmsted struck out three straight to end the game. 

NOTES: The Sea Dogs Hall of Fame inducted two new members Friday — the late Dan Burke, who founded the franchise and served as its owner until his death last October, and first-baseman Adrian Gonzalez, who starred in 2002 when Portland was a Marlins affiliate. …

Portland relief pitcher Ryan Pressly was added to the roster of Red Sox prospects who will play in the Arizona Fall League this off-season. He joins fellow reliever Chris Martin, plus two former teammates — outfielder Bryce Brentz and reliever Brock Huntzinger — and Salem pitcher Pete Ruiz. …

Travelers’ Insurance is sponsoring a double promotion Saturday bringing former Red Sox outfielder Fred Lynn to Hadlock Field, while also holding a food drive for Good Shepherd Food Bank. Lynn will throw out the first pitch and be available for autographs and pictures after that …

Fans bringing non-perishable food items to the game will be given a free ticket to a game next year The first 1,000 fans will receive Sea Dogs baseball cards.

Staff Writer Kevin Thomas can be contacted at 791-6411 or at:

kthomas@pressherald.com

Twitter: ClearTheBases