
Portland has won four straight and is nine games over .500 for the first time this season.
Pena allowed one runner past second base, yielding three hits (two infield singles), two walks and fanning five.
Reading starter Severino Gonzalez (3-2) beat the Sea Dogs in his last start on April 30 at Hadlock Field, but took the loss on Tuesday. Gonzalez gave up four runs on six hits over six innings.
The Sea Dogs got to Gonzalez in the third inning, sending eight hitters to the plate. Shannon Wilkerson led off the frame with a single and Deven Marrero drew a one-out walk. Travis Shaw knocked in the game’s first run with a single off the shortstop’s glove. With two outs, Blake Swihart and Henry Ramos delivered back-to-back RBI singles.
In the fourth, Betts picked up a hit for the 26th time in 28 games, blooping an RBI single to plate Derrik Gibson and giving Portland a 4-0 advantage. Betts extended his on-base streak to 58 straight games.
Nate Reed fired three scoreless to earn his first Double-A hold. Aaron Kurcz closed out the win, working around a pair of singles in the ninth.
The teams were to wrap up the three-game series today at 11:35 a.m.
Comments are not available on this story. Read more about why we allow commenting on some stories and not on others.
We believe it's important to offer commenting on certain stories as a benefit to our readers. At its best, our comments sections can be a productive platform for readers to engage with our journalism, offer thoughts on coverage and issues, and drive conversation in a respectful, solutions-based way. It's a form of open discourse that can be useful to our community, public officials, journalists and others.
We do not enable comments on everything — exceptions include most crime stories, and coverage involving personal tragedy or sensitive issues that invite personal attacks instead of thoughtful discussion.
You can read more here about our commenting policy and terms of use. More information is also found on our FAQs.
Show less