That is how you stop a losing streak.

The Portland Sea Dogs had not only lost four straight games, but were winless in their last nine meetings against the Hartford Yard Goats.

The skids ended Thursday afternoon when the Sea Dogs enjoyed a 12-3 romp over Hartford at Hadlock Field.

Both Jantzen Witte and Josh Ockimey swatted three-run homers as Portland outhit the Yard Goats 15-6.

“There’s a whole lot to like about that game,” Sea Dogs Manager Darren Fenster said. “We obviously swung the bats really well, extended the lead and put the game away early.”

Teddy Stankiewicz (4-4) pitched seven crisp innings, allowing two runs on five hits with no walks, striking out seven.

“He did a really great job of pitching aggressively with a lead,” Fenster said. “He got us back in the dugout (quickly).”

That is Stankiewicz’s game – throwing strikes with a good tempo.

“The mindset doesn’t change,” Stankiewicz said about the lead. “I still got to do what I have to do, which is pound the strike zone.”

Ockimey’s home run came in an eight-run third inning as Hartford starter Chris Jensen folded. He allowed the first eight batters to reach in the inning – then the next three reached against reliever Parker French.

Jensen, a minor league free agent, signed this year with the Rockies, his original organization. Colorado had traded him and Drew Pomeranz to Oakland in 2013 for lefty Brett Anderson. Jensen began this year in Triple-A, struggled, was sent to Hartford and continues to scuffle (15.83 ERA).

Sea Dogs shortstop Jeremy Rivera (3 for 5, one walk) led off the bottom of the first with a double. Chad De La Guerra (2 for 4, two walks) drew a walk and then Witte tagged a fastball for his home run to left center – his first for Portland (adding to two in Pawtucket).

Witte, who came down from Triple-A this month, is now batting .422 in 12 games with 15 RBI.

Ockimey hit his fifth home run, crushing a 2-0 fastball an estimated 424 feet to center field, with an exit velocity of 104 mph. Ockimey also doubled and drew two walks in the game. He’s batting .255, with a .381 on-base percentage and .826 OPS. He has 18 RBI in 32 games.

“He has to be a run producer for us,” Fenster said. “We want him in that mindset of looking to drive in runs when the opportunity presents itself – but also to have some plate discipline.”

Hartford dropped to 25-21, while the Sea Dogs are 16-28, still in last place in the Eastern League East Division, a half-game behind Reading (16-27), a 4-3 winner Thursday against New Hampshire. Reading comes to Hadlock Field for a five-game, four-day series, starting Friday at 6 p.m. Saturday features a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.

NOTES: A drone hovered over Hadlock Field in the eighth inning. The umpires, following minor league security rules, cleared the field. The drone quickly flew away, and the players returned to their position … The announced paid attendance was 5,657, which included nearly-full general admission seats with students enjoying a field trip from local schools.

Kevin Thomas can be reached at 791-7411 or:

kthomas@pressherald.com

Twitter: @ClearTheBases

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