For a few months, Portland Sea Dogs fans hoped their 21-year-old star pitcher would stay around town for the season.

But Michael Bowden, 21, was too good and, besides, he already got a start on pitching in Double-A last year.

Now Bowden is following in the footsteps of prospects before him, when he makes his major league debut today.

Two stories on Bowden come to mind.:

One followed a Portland game in early June when Bowden stood in the Sea Dogs clubhouse watching Justin Masterson pitch for the Red Sox on TV:

Teammate Sandy Madera approached and pointed at the screen.

''Hey, you keep pitching like you did, and you'll be there soon," Madera said.

The other story was a June 8 feature on Bowden and how the Red Sox landed him.

Clay Buchholz pitches at Hadlock Field, and Michael Bowden is on the Fenway mound. Should be a fun night.

In the minors, Pawtucket starter Charlie Zink, who recently made his major league debut, went 8 innings in a 2-0 loss (7 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 3 K).

Greenville's 17-year-old third baseman Michael Almanzar (.220) went 4-for-6. He's batting .316 in his last 9 games.

Lancaster infielder Yamaico Navarro (.353) went 2-for-5, as did Jason Place (.246). Both of Place's hits were home runs (his 18th and 19th) ... reliever Bryce Cox (5.80) pitched 2 hitless innings (1 BB, 4 K).

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