As an organization, the Boston Red Sox have long encouraged their hitters to work deep counts.

Sometimes, however, it’s best to throw company policy out the window.

Manuel Margot slides into home safely as Reading catcher Andrew Knapp waits for the throw in the second inning of the Sea Dogs’ 5-4 win in the first game of a doubleheader Monday in Portland. Reading won the second game 6-1. John Ewing/Staff Photographer

tuesday's game

WHO: Reading Fightin Phils (Joel Piniero 3-2) at Portland Sea Dogs (Justin Haley 2-8)

WHEN: 7 p.m.

Reed Gragnani grounded a single up the middle to score Manuel Margot from second base in the bottom of the ninth and give the Portland Sea Dogs a 5-4 victory over Reading Monday night in the first game of an Eastern League doubleheader.

The walk-off victory was Portland’s third of the season and ended an eight-game losing streak at Hadlock Field for Boston’s Double-A affiliate.

Margot led off the bottom of the ninth with a single and advanced to second on an infield out. Both hits came on the first pitch from Reading reliever Joely Rodriguez.

“A situation like that, where you’ve got a runner in scoring position, you’ve got to get your pitch to hit,” Gragnani said. “I was just looking for a strike to hit up the middle.”

Reading won the nightcap 6-1 with help from the fourth home run in three days by Brian Pointer, who hit three in Reading’s 8-5 win on Saturday. Keury De La Cruz homered with two outs in the seventh to spoil a shutout bid by Reading’s Mark Leiter Jr. (1-2).

Rehabbing Red Sox catcher Ryan Hanigan singled and doubled as designated hitter in the nightcap after catching all nine innings of the opener. He was a combined 2 for 6 with a walk and said he would return to the Red Sox on Wednesday.

In Game 1, Margot also stroked a first-pitch RBI double in the sixth after an error in right field allowed Sam Travis to reach second. That gave the Sea Dogs a 4-3 lead and a chance to close out the game in the seventh.

A flare, a grounder through the shortstop hole and a walk by reliever Williams Jerez loaded the bases for Reading and Madison Younginer was brought on in relief. He allowed a run to score on a sacrifice fly, but nothing else.

It was the fourth blown save in five games by the Portland bullpen but Jerez, in his Hadlock debut, stranded two in the fifth and pitched a scoreless sixth and Younginer (3-3) kept Reading off the board in the eighth and ninth.

“Jerez gave up two hits and a walk but the hits weren’t well-hit,” said Sea Dogs Manager Billy McMillon. “He’s been very impressive in his two outings and Younginer’s been pretty good these last half dozen or so outings. It was good to see him continue that.”

Margot finished the night with four hits and scored Portland’s first run in the opener by racing home from second on a routine two-out single to left by De La Cruz, sliding in ahead of the tag when the throw drifted up the line.

“He’s a special player, a special talent,” said Gragnani, who played at two lower levels of the minors with Margot, 20.

“A great kid and a great teammate. Nothing he does surprises me anymore.”

Trailing 3-1 in the fifth, the Sea Dogs tied the score on a two-out, two-run triple by Marco Hernandez. De La Cruz and Gragnani had each singled to set the stage.

NOTES: Reading shortstop J.P. Crawford, the top prospect in the Phillies’ system according to Baseball America, went 0 for 5 in Game 1 to end a 42-game on-base streak that began in Class A Clearwater. He was robbed of extra bases by De La Cruz, who fully extended his right arm to make a catch on the dead run in the left-field corner. Crawford singled in his second at-bat of the nightcap to drive in Reading’s first run. … The announced paid attendance was 4,209. … The walk-off victory was Portland’s third of the season, but first that ended with a hit. In the other two, Jantzen Witte was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded on May 23 against Reading and David Chester reached on an error to allow a run to score on June 3 against Richmond. … Catcher Luis Martinez was promoted to Triple-A Pawtucket on Sunday.

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