It was only a four-game road trip, but bad things happen to the Sea Dogs on the road. The team has lost 10 of its last 12 games away from Hadlock Field; their opponents have outscored them 69 runs to just 33 in those games.

The most recent trip to New Britain yielded two wins and a pair of losses. Portland scored just two runs in the first three games as the Rock Cats scored 14, until Sunday’s

11-inning, 8-5 win. The Sea Dogs are 10-10 in the past 20 contests.

Still, remarkably, Portland still holds the third best road record in the Eastern League, at 33-25; they are 35-15 at home, where they will play 21 of the 33 games remaining in the season. And they have the best record in the EL at 68 wins, 40 losses.

One factor that has saved the Sea Dogs is the spectacular way they have scored runs with two outs. Forty percent of the runs scored this season have come with two men out. With runners in scoring position and two outs, the Dogs hit .267, while holding opponents to a .218 average in those situations. In other words, don’t head off to the concession stands until the third out is made.

Beginning Monday, July 28, running through Sunday, Aug. 3, the Sea Dogs will play eight games in seven days. First, the Reading Fightin’ Phils visit for four contests, then the Trenton Thunder come in for another four. This year, the Dogs are 10-4 against the former and 10-6 against the latter.

Wilfredo Boscan nearly picks off a base runner with this throw to Ryan Lavarnway.Former Sea Dog Ryan Lavarnway played three rehab games with Portland last week. Lavarnway is no longer a catcher, but he plays first base in a catcher’s crouch.