PORTLAND — While the Portland Sea Dogs wonder if Stephen Drew will stay with the team, the Trenton Thunder are glad to be done with seeing the likes of Brandon Workman, Chris Martin and Brock Huntzinger.

The three Portland power pitchers overwhelmed the Thunder for 17 strikeouts Friday night in a 7-4 victory for the Sea Dogs at Hadlock Field.

Drew, the Boston Red Sox shortstop in his second rehab appearance with Portland, went 1 for 3 with a double and sacrifice fly.

Drew left Hadlock after the top of the seventh inning, a few moments after shortstop Jose Iglesias left the Red Sox game in Toronto.

Iglesias, filling in while Drew is on the disabled list, was hit by a pitch in the right arm in Boston’s game. He left the game with an early diagnosis of a bruised forearm.

Drew didn’t make himself available for interviews. He’s scheduled to play Saturday’s game in Portland, but there’s a possibility the Red Sox could call him to Toronto.

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“I haven’t heard anything,” Sea Dogs Manager Kevin Boles said.

What Boles can tell you is he watched some solid mound performances. Workman, Martin and Huntzinger combined on a five-hitter. Six of the nine innings were perfect.

“We believe in our pitching,” Boles said. “Workman was outstanding. Settled in after the one tough inning. Martin’s fastball-slider mix was pretty impressive. He really bridged the gap to Huntzinger.”

Workman (1-0) struck out nine in five innings, allowing three hits. He needed only three minutes and 11 pitches to retire the side in the first inning, his fastball hitting 97 mph.

In the second inning, Workman gave up an eight-pitch walk and then a bloop single. After a strikeout, Jose Pirela poked a two-run triple down the right-field line. Neil Medchill followed with a two-run homer, crushing Workman’s change-up.

“The home run was a pitch I shouldn’t have thrown and he got all of it,” Workman said. “That was the only ball they put a really good swing on. The other ones were base hits. They happen.

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Workman retired the final 11 batters he faced, the last three by strikeouts.

“Made some good pitches with my fastball,” Workman said. “Would have liked to have been better with my off-speed. That will come.”

Martin allowed a walk in the sixth and two singles in the eighth. He struck out seven, locating his fastball and slider down.

“Those guys were tough acts to follow,” said Huntzinger, who pitched a 1-2-3 ninth (one strikeout) for the save.

Portland took over with a four-run fourth for a 7-4 lead. Third baseman Michael Almanzar, in his first Double-A game, went 2 for 4 with an RBI. Tony Thomas had two RBI on a sacrifice fly and a single.

Portland made no errors after making five the night before. Friday was Trenton’s turn (six errors) to boot the ball around.

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NOTES: The announced paid attendance was 2,337. Sea Dogs schedule magnets, with pictures of Jackie Bradley Jr. and Xander Bogaerts on them, will be given out to the first 2,500 fans Saturday. The mascot band, Kastaways, will perform before the game outside of Hadlock, as it does before every Saturday home game.

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

kthomas@pressherald.com

Twitter: ClearTheBases


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