Nick Longhi is a first-base prospect for the Boston Red Sox, so you expect him to hit home runs.

“Home runs aren’t personally my game,” Longhi said. “I’ve got to get on base and move guys over, drive in runs when I get the opportunity.”

Longhi got the opportunity in the bottom of the ninth inning Friday night.

Longhi blasted a full-count, 95 mph fastball over the left-field wall for a two-run homer and a 7-5 walk-off win for the Portland Sea Dogs over the Erie SeaWolves before a sold-out crowd of 7,368 at Hadlock Field.

Josh Tobias also homered for the Sea Dogs (26-30) in a back-and-forth game with Erie (29-29).

The SeaWolves blew two leads, Portland blew one.

“Good at-bats,” Portland Manager Carlos Febles said of his team’s 10 hits and four walks.

“We were able to come through. Good timely hitting. Something we’ve been missing. That’s a good sign.”

Portland trailed 3-0 until Tobias’ three-run blast in the fourth inning. He turned on a change-up and sent it off the roof of the right-field bullpen.

Teddy Stankiewicz of the Sea Dogs delivers a pitch against the Erie SeaWolves.

Erie got another lead, 4-3, and lost it in the seventh when Rafael Devers doubled in a run (with another scoring on an outfield error).

Gabriel Quintana of Erie homered off reliever Josh Smith (3-1) in the eighth, making it 5-5.

In the bottom of the ninth, Erie brought in hard-throwing right-hander Waldis Joaquin (2-3). He struck out the first two batters before Jeremy Barfield singled to left, his third hit of the game.

Longhi stepped in and quickly fell behind 0-2.

“The majority of the pitches were sliders. He has a good one,” Longhi said. “Go down 0-2, I’m just trying to grind an at-bat, get on base and keep the inning alive.”

Longhi worked the count full. Joaquin came with a 95 mph fastball.

“It was middle in. I just happened to connect,” said Longhi. It was his fourth home run, exiting at 107 mph, and traveling an estimated 392 feet.

Longhi began his first Double-A season slowly, batting .182 in April. But he hit .290 in May and is at .282 in June. And his four home runs are already two more than he hit in Class A Salem last year.

Tzu-Wei Lin throws out an Erie runner.

“He’s a hitter. He drives the ball to all fields,” Sea Dog hitting coach Lee May Jr. said. “As he matures as a hitter, I have no worries about the power potential. That’s going to come. You’re starting to see a glimpse of it now.”

Sea Dogs starter Teddy Stankiewicz allowed three runs on five hits and three walks over six innings.

Stankiewicz mixed his off-speed pitches well, striking out a season-best eight.

NOTES: Sea Dogs reliever Yankory Pimentel, recently called up from Salem, has been suspended 80 games after testing positive for an anabolic steroid. Pimentel, 23, appeared in four games before going on the disabled list for a sore shoulder. … Devers, who went 1 for 5, made a couple of nifty plays at third, snagging a high hop and later charging a bunt. He threw a strike to first base both times for the out. … In Pawtucket, former Sea Dogs starter Jalen Beeks made his second Triple-A start, giving up two runs (one earned) over six innings. Beeks allowed four hits and one walk, striking out eight.

Kevin Thomas can be reached at 791-6411 or:

kthomas@pressherald.com

Twitter: @ClearTheBases

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