With Rafael Devers gone, attention for Portland Sea Dogs fans will swing toward another third baseman, Michael Chavis.
He appears ready for the attention.
Chavis, who served as the designated hitter Monday night, recorded a 3-for-4 evening with a walk, a double, a home run and two RBI. It was not enough, though, for the Sea Dogs, who lost 4-3 to the Trenton Thunder before 6,626 at Hadlock Field.
Chavis, a first-round draft pick in 2014, arrived in Portland on June 22, three weeks before Devers was promoted to Pawtucket. In his 23 games with the Sea Dogs, Chavis, 21, is batting .268 with an .840 OPS and six home runs, already third best on the team.
He homered in the first inning on a 91 mph fastball. The ball sailed over the left-field wall, traveling an estimated 425 feet with an exit velocity of 106 mph. Chavis added an RBI single in the fifth as the Sea Dogs took a 3-0 lead. The fifth inning was highlighted by Danny Mars’ 16-pitch walk, featuring 10 foul balls.
Portland starter Teddy Stankiewicz (3-4) pitched five scoreless innings and was working on a four-hitter. He had solid defense behind him, including Cole Sturgeon’s catch of a deep line drive as he crashed into the left-field wall in the fifth inning.
But Stankiewicz did not record an out in the sixth, allowing three singles and a walk. He left with a 3-1 lead and the bases loaded.
Reliever Williams Jerez got a strikeout, then let all the inherited runners score on a walk and Devyn Bolasky’s two-run single.
Portland had chances in every inning after that to at least tie it.
In the ninth, Chavis kept Sea Dogs hopes alive with a two-out double. Jeremy Barfield walked, and Trenton went to its fourth pitcher, Dillon McNamara, who walked Henry Urrutia to load the bases.
McNamara then got Sturgeon to ground out.
Portland left 12 runners on bases and was 2 for 11 with runners in scoring position.
NOTES: Chavis, who hit 17 home runs this year in Salem, has 23 overall, the second most in all of minor league baseball. … The line forming outside of Hadlock Field extended past the Expo to Troubh Ice Arena as fans made sure they were among the first 1,000 fans to receive an Andrew Benintendi bobblehead doll. … The next bobblehead giveaway is Aug. 15 (Yoan Moncada). …
Tuesday’s promotion is Harry Potter Night. Those dressed in their Hogwarts finest are asked to be at Hadlock by 6 p.m. for a pregame parade.
Kevin Thomas can be reached at 791-6411 or:
kthomas@pressherald.com
Twitter: ClearTheBases
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