PORTLAND — It has been nearly two months since fans at Hadlock Field watched the Portland Sea Dogs go on a winning streak.

It’s only two games so far but the Sea Dogs will take it. Portland beat Trenton 11-4 behind 10 hits and the pitching of Alex Wilson on Wednesday night.

Wilson (6-4) pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings, matching a career high for strikeouts (eight).

Portland won consecutive games at Hadlock for the first time since a three-game sweep of the Binghamton Mets on April 26-28.

Tim Federowicz, Ryan Khoury and Jorge Padron all recorded two RBI. Alex Hassan had three hits.

The Sea Dogs (25-43) have also won three straight overall and four of their last five. And if you want to dream a little, they are 13 1/2 games behind Trenton (40-31) for an Eastern League playoff spot.

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But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. For one thing, if Wilson keeps pitching like he is, he won’t be with the Sea Dogs for long.

Wilson worked his one-two combo of a 94 mph fastball and diving slider, keeping the Thunder off balance.

He allowed hits to the first two batters, and only two more after that.

“Fastball-slider again, and I actually mixed in some good change-ups,” Wilson said.

Wilson, who walked three, saw his ERA drop to 2.92. A second-round draft pick in 2009, Wilson, 24, was promoted to Portland last June. He was invited to the major league spring training camp this year and now appears ready for Triple-A.

“You’d like to think that, but as soon as you start thinking about it, that’s when things go bad,” Wilson said. “I just try to keep my mind clear. Whatever happens, happens.”

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While Wilson cruised, Trenton starter Alan Horne didn’t make it out of the first inning. Horne, 28, the Eastern League pitcher of the year in 2007, has been injured often and missed all of 2010 after shoulder surgery.

Wednesday was Horne’s first appearance since 2009. He went to a full count on each of the first five batters, allowing a hit and four walks. When he walked Reynaldo Rodriguez on four pitches for a 3-0 lead, his night was done.

Padron’s sacrifice fly made it 4-0 in the first inning.

Federowicz’s sacrifice fly in the fifth and Khoury’s two-run double in the sixth gave Portland a 7-0 lead.

Oscar Tejeda had an RBI triple in the seventh. Padron singled him in. More runs followed and the rout was on.

NOTES: Reliever Blake Maxwell flew from Portland to Louisville on Wednesday morning and appeared in Pawtucket’s day game (no hits in two-thirds of an inning). This is Maxwell’s third promotion to Triple-A this year. He should stick this time. Santo Luis came off the inactive list to replace Maxwell. Federowicz threw out base-stealer Jose Pirela in the second inning. He has thrown out 18 of 49 runners (37 percent). Fireworks will follow tonight’s game. The announced paid attendance was 5,107.

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

kthomas@pressherald.com

Twitter: ClearTheBases

 


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