The last time Ken Joyce – a Portland resident and hitting coach for the Richmond Flying Squirrels – was in New England, he had never known such baseball misery.

It was May 3 and Richmond had just been swept in New Britain, Connecticut, to extend its losing streak to 15 games and drop its record to 3-17.

Portland’s Reed Gragnani tries for a double play after getting Richmond baserunner Rando Moreno out at second as the Portland Sea Dogs host the Richmond Flying Squirrels at Hadlock Field in Portland on Thursday morning. Richmond won, 4-3. John Patriquin/Staff Photographer

Sea Dogs pitcher Mike Augliera delivers a pitch as the Portland Sea Dogs host the Richmond Flying Squirrels at Hadlock Field in Portland on Thursday. John Patriquin/Staff Photographer

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WHO: Portland Sea Dogs (Justin Masterson 0-0) vs. Bowie Baysox (TBA)

WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday

WHERE: Hadlock Field

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“I’d never been part of anything like that,” Joyce said Thursday at Hadlock Field after Richmond beat the Portland Sea Dogs, 4-3. “I credit the players for coming to work every day. The guys did a nice job coming back.”

Richmond won two of three against Portland and is 25-26 overall.

Joyce’s batters totaled 12 hits and the pitchers held Portland to five hits.

But Portland almost staged another late-inning comeback, like Wednesday’s three-run ninth for a walk-off win.

Down 4-0, the Sea Dogs scored three in the eighth, keyed by Carlos Asuaje’s two-run double. After an intentional walk to Jantzen Witte, the bases were loaded with no outs.

But Oscar Tejeda hit into a double play and after a hit batter loaded the bases again, Aneury Tavarez grounded to first.

In the ninth, Richmond closer Josh Osich earned his 13th save, allowing a single by Danny

Bethea, who went 3 for 4.

The Squirrels feature one of the Eastern League’s best pitching staffs and it showed early. Starter Adalberto Mejia allowed no hits over four innings.

Mejia, the San Francisco Giant’s top left-handed prospect, was making his first start. He began the season suspended for 50 games for use of a performance-enhancing drug. He left after four innings (53 pitches).

Asuaje was the only Portland batter to reach against Mejia – once by error, another time by walk. Mejia struck out three.

Bethea broke up the no-hitter, singling up the middle against reliever Tyler Mizenko in the sixth. Bethea added an RBI single in the eighth.

Sea Dogs starter Mike Augliera (2-9) allowed four runs and 11 hits over 52/3 innings. Robby Scott pitched 21/3 hitless innings for a fifth straight scoreless appearance.

Pat Light pitched a scoreless ninth and has a 0.55 ERA in his last 15 games.

“For being his first year (as a reliever), he’s really taking to it and taking off,” Sea Dogs pitching coach Kevin Walker said.

The Sea Dogs (23-31) return to Hadlock Field to play Bowie at 7 p.m. Friday. Red Sox pitcher Justin Masterson will make a rehab start.

NOTES: The announced paid attendance was 5,032. … The Sea Dogs added two new players, infielder Jose Vinicio and pitcher Heri Quevedo. Vinicio, 21, was a $2 million bonus signing when he was 16. He was batting .268 in Salem this season. Quevedo, 24, has been in extended spring training. He pitched for Lowell and Salem last year. … Quevedo replaced pitcher Joe Gunkel, who was traded Wednesday to the Orioles for outfielder Alejandro De Aza. Gunkel may pitch for Bowie in Portland this weekend. … Sea Dogs reliever Kyle Kraus was transferred to Pawtucket. … Outfielder Engel Beltre made his debut with Richmond and the Giants’ organization, going 0 for 5. Once a prized Red Sox prospect, Beltre was traded to Texas in 2007 in the Eric Gagne deal. Beltre reached the majors briefly in 2013 (22 games) and was let go after 2014. The White Sox signed him, then released him last month, leading him to the Giants. … While the Squirrels traveled to New Hampshire, Joyce stayed back to watch his son Tommy play for the Portland High junior varsity.

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