Maybe it was the throwback jerseys or, more likely, perseverance paying off.

The Portland Sea Dogs hitters’ prevailed Thursday night with their best offensive showing since May 1. Portland pounded out 13 hits and beat the Binghamton Mets 6-2 at Hadlock Field.

Portland Sea Dogs shortstop Tzu-Wei Lin takes the throw to force Binghamton Mets baserunner Victor Cruzado out at second during at Hadlock Field in Portland on Thursday. The Sea Dogs beat Binghamton, 6-2. (Photo by Carl D. Walsh/Staff Photographer)

Sea Dogs starter Keith Couch delivers to a Binghamton batter in Thursday's game at Hadlock Field. Carl D. Walsh/Staff Photographer

Rainel Rosario of the Sea Dogs gets back to second as Binghamton infielder L.J. Mazzilli tries to handle the throw in the fifth inning Thursday at Hadlock Field. Carl D. Walsh/Staff Photographer

“We swung the bats pretty good tonight,” Manager Carlos Febles said. “Hopefully we’ll keep going.”

The Sea Dogs (11-23) snapped a three-game losing streak. Binghamton dropped to 14-17.

Keith Couch (1-0), down from Triple-A Pawtucket, made his second start for the Sea Dogs, pitching six shutout innings, allowing six hits and one walk, striking out five.

Couch, who pitched in Portland in 2013-14, was with Pawtucket last season. With two Red Sox pitchers (Eduardo Rodriguez, Joe Kelly) rehabbing with the PawSox, Couch was sent to the Sea Dogs.

“They said it was a numbers thing,” Couch said. “Whatever. I’m pitching. I felt great tonight.”

He was backed by an offense that featured hits from eight players. Wearing the teal and black of the 1996 Sea Dogs – a team that featured Kevin Millar and Luis Castillo among others – these 2016 Dogs were swinging away.

The recent addition of two players from the independent leagues paid off Thursday.

First baseman Nate Freiman recorded two RBI doubles, knocking in three runs. Third baseman Ryan Court also had two hits, along with a walk, three runs and an RBI.

Court, 27, came up through the Diamondbacks’ organization but was cut last year. He hooked on with the Sioux City Explorers independent team.

“It’s obviously hard when you get released. You’re pretty upset about it,” Court said. “But getting the chance to play (with Sioux City) was a lot of fun.”

Court was preparing for a second season with the Explorers.

“I was literally packing my bags to go back to Iowa when I got the call (from the Red Sox),” he said. “Getting back to affiliate ball is what you play for.

“We’ve got a great group of guys here. We’re young. Tonight was a big step and I think we’re going to click from here.”

Court batted third. After first-inning singles by Henry Ramos and Cole Sturgeon, Court knocked in Ramos on a fielder’s-choice groundout. Court scored on Freiman’s double to left-center. Portland, which scored only once in each of its last three games, led 2-0 – with a veteran on the mound.

“We score two runs and then Couch set the tone for us,” Febles said.

Using his fastball, slider and change-up, Couch kept the Mets off balance. He left after giving up two singles in the seventh. Reliever Chandler Shepherd entered and squashed the threat.

RBI singles by Ramos and Wendell Rijo extended the lead to 4-0. Freiman, who played parts of two major league seasons with Oakland, made it 6-0 with a two-run double in the seventh.

Matt Oberste of the Mets hit a two-run homer in the ninth off Rob Wort. Binghamton starter Robert Gsellman dropped to 1-2 (2.21 ERA). Couch’s ERA is 0.75.

NOTES: The announced paid attendance was 3,477. … The teams play again Friday in a doubleheader that will begin at 5 p.m. at Hadlock. The extra game is the result of a rainout last week.

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