enlarge Gordon Chibroski/Staff Photographer

Portland catcher Luis Exposito sweeps a tag on Altoona’s Ray Chang, who’s thrown out by Jason Place while trying to score on a single to left.

enlarge Gordon Chibroski/Staff Photographer

Altoona third baseman Pedro Alvarez gets upstaged by a fan who rises above the rest of the would-be fielders and snags a foul pop fly Wednesday night during Portland’s 9-0 win.

TODAY'S GAME

WHO: Altoona Curve (Derek Hankins 3-3) at Portland Sea Dogs (Adam Mills 9-5)

WHEN: Noon

WHERE: Hadlock Field

TICKETS: Sold out

PORTLAND — When Ryne Lawson left the Hadlock Field mound on July 12 against New Hampshire, he was a beaten pitcher, allowing eight runs in three innings. He saw his ERA balloon to 7.30 and his record drop to 1-8.

But the Boston Red Sox must see something in Lawson. He has stayed in the Sea Dogs' rotation despite unimpressive numbers. In a game like Wednesday night's against Altoona, Lawson showed why.

Lawson pitched six shutout innings in Portland's 9-0 victory over the Curve before an announced sellout of 7,368 at Hadlock.

"He's got good stuff," Portland Manager Arnie Beyeler said. "He's got the good sinker. It comes and goes.

"When he throws strikes and gets ahead, he's good."

Lawson (3-9) used his sinker to record nine ground-ball outs while striking out four. He allowed five hits and two walks, a long way from that New Hampshire game.

"That outing was just embarrassing," Lawson said. "I was putting myself in bad counts. After that, I was a lot more focused."

Lawson, 24, was a 30th-round draft pick in 2006 out of the University of West Alabama. In his last three starts, he has given up five runs over 17 innings, lowering his ERA to 5.85.

"It's just a decision I made after the All-Star break," Lawson said. "The first half was not very good – at all. I made a decision to compete."

Dustin Richardson and Chris Province combined for three innings of one-hit relief to preserve the shutout.

Left fielder Jason Place also helped keep Altoona scoreless, throwing out Ray Chang, who was trying to score from second base on a single to left in the third inning.

Portland took advantage of wildness on the part of Altoona pitching, which gave up nine walks and one hit batsman, and shaky defense that committed two errors leading to three unearned runs.

Third baseman Jorge Jimenez, first baseman Jon Still and designated hitter Juan Apodaca each went 2 for 5 for the Sea Dogs.

Jimenez hit a two-run triple, giving him 65 RBI, and improved his batting average to a team-best .293.

Still's run-scoring single pushed his team-leading RBI total to 73.

Apodaca extended his hit streak to seven games and is batting .481 (13 for 27) during that stretch.

Portland improved to 52-57 and remained in fourth place in the Eastern League Northern Division, but they are only one game behind second-place Trenton in the race for a playoff spot. Portland has 32 games remaining on its schedule.

Altoona (45-66) is in last place in the Southern Division.

NOTES: Although today's series finale game at noon is a sellout, some returned season tickets might be available at the box office, which opens at 9 a.m. Outfielder Josh Reddick, who was called up to the majors last week, is not coming back to Portland. He was sent to Triple-A Pawtucket on Wednesday. The Sea Dogs added outfielder Daniel Nava from Class A Salem. Nava, 26, who signed out of the independent leagues in 2008, had a .340 average in 114 Class A games. The Sea Dogs put Reid Engel on the disabled list to make room for Nava.

First baseman Lars Anderson sat out with a tweaked hamstring. He is day to day. Catcher John Otness was healthy when he left the Sea Dogs for Pawtucket, but when he officially reported Wednesday, Otness promptly was put on the disabled list with a hamstring strain. Catcher Luis Exposito went 1 for 5 in his Double-A debut with Portland. Adam Mills (9-5) will try to win his eighth straight start today.

The Futures at Fenway doubleheader Saturday will feature two of the Red Sox top pitching prospects. Felix Doubront will start for Portland, and Junichi Tazawa will start for Pawtucket.

Staff Writer Kevin Thomas can be contacted at 791-6411 or at:

kthomas@pressherald.com