Nearly 3,000 schoolchildren filed into Hadlock Field on Wednesday morning for a baseball game that ended long after most had to leave.

But here’s a math assignment for the youngsters: If nine pitchers combine for 362 pitches, what was the average number thrown? And if a nine-inning game consumes three hours and 46 minutes, how long was the typical inning?

(Extra credit: How long would the contest have lasted if not for the “pace of play” rules implemented this year to speed up games?)

The Portland Sea Dogs lost, 9-8, to the Trenton Thunder before an announced crowd of 4,188. Trenton scored three runs in the top of the ninth inning, including the winner when Portland left fielder Keury De La Cruz misplayed Dan Fiorito’s line drive into a double that scored Taylor Dugas from first base.

In the bottom of the ninth, the Sea Dogs loaded the bases with nobody out but failed to score the tying run despite having the heart of their order up against Trenton’s sixth pitcher of the day, Mark Montgomery. Jantzen Witte struck out looking, Oscar Tejeda fanned swinging and De La Cruz, with a chance to make up for his miscue, flied out to right field to end the homestand for Portland with one win in six games.

“When something doesn’t go well for us, we’re having troubles making the next play,” said Portland Manager Billy McMillon.

“That’s kind of been the theme so far. Bases loaded, no outs. Infield in, it didn’t take a lot to get that run in. A blooper, we win the game. I’m sitting here trying to figure out how to address that. I don’t know what you do there.”

Witte leads the team with 22 RBIs. Tejeda had come through twice with the bases loaded earlier in the game, knocking in four runs, the first Portland player to do that this year. De La Cruz had doubled in his previous at-bat to push the Sea Dogs’ lead to 8-6.

So all were certainly capable of being the hero. It’s been that kind of year so far for the last-place Sea Dogs (12-21).

McMillon was more concerned about what transpired in the top of the ninth as Madison Younginer blew a save opportunity and saw his record fall to 0-2.

Trenton (16-17) leadoff batter Eric Jagielo took a close pitch with two strikes that was ruled a ball, then laced a double. Gary Sanchez followed with a 380-foot home run down the left-field line that tied the score, 8-8. Dugas singled with one out and Fiorito hit his liner with two down.

De La Cruz ran in and appeared to have a chance to catch the ball. At the last second, he slid to the ground only to have the ball go under his glove and roll toward the wall as Dugas raced home.

“I don’t understand that. That’s the winning run, we’ve got to keep that ball in front of us and he chooses to slide,” McMillon said. “I talked to him right after the game about that. He’s got to understand the situation. He can’t let that ball get behind him.”

At least the schoolchildren weren’t around to see it.

NOTE: Portland right fielder Reed Gragnani was removed from the game after appearing to injure his leg on a fifth-inning stolen base. McMillon said he didn’t think it was serious, and Gragnani should be back in the lineup Thursday or Friday as Portland travels to New Britain for a four-game series. Jonathan Roof replaced Gragnani.

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