Two years ago, when Iggy Suarez began to run out to his shortstop position, he felt "nervous and excited at the same time, like I do every game."

But then the nerves and enthusiasm bumped up a few levels. The crowd erupted with noise beyond anything Suarez had heard at Hadlock Field.

He took his position and looked up.

"Seeing 'Fenway Park' written at the top of the stadium, and turning around and seeing the actual Monster," Suarez recalled. "With 30-plus-thousand people there. Knowing it's a big- league stadium; I was like in a daze just looking around."

Suarez will get another chance to experience the aura when the Portland Sea Dogs again play in the "Futures at Fenway" doubleheader Saturday at Fenway.

The Sea Dogs will play the Bowie BaySox at noon, followed by a Triple-A game between Pawtucket and Norfolk.

This is the fourth year for the concept, which features two Red Sox affiliates playing regular-season games at Fenway. This is Portland's second appearance, Pawtucket's third.

Two years ago, more than 34,000 tickets were sold.

As of Thursday night, a limited number of $20 box seats were available, along with $10 grandstand and bleacher seats and $5 upper bleacher seats.

"That was by far the biggest crowd I've pitched before," said Sea Dogs pitcher Adam Mills. Two years ago, Mills was a freshly drafted pro rookie pitching for the Lowell Spinners before the Sea Dogs' game.

"It was exhilarating. When you go in there, it's a rush."

Mills entered in the top of the seventh and pitched three scoreless innings to earn the win.

Lowell won on a walk-off double in the ninth by Jorge Jimenez, now the Sea Dogs' third baseman.

"That was awesome," Jimenez said, "a walk-off hit in a big-league field in front of 30,000 people."

Despite the crowd and the ballpark, Jimenez said you have to remind yourself to relax.

"Just try to have fun," he said.

Sea Dogs Manager Arnie Beyeler also enjoyed a walk-off victory in Fenway two years ago on Jay Johnson's single against Harrisburg.

But Beyeler also remembers the disappointment of not playing every player.

Beyeler was thinking the game could go to extra innings, so he kept catcher John Otness on the bench, available when needed.

"The guy I really wanted to get in, I didn't get in because he was our only guy left," Beyeler said.

Despite the surroundings, Beyeler said he cannot treat the game differently.

"We've got to play the game," he said. "It would be different if it was like an All-Star game or something.

"Yeah, I'd like to give everybody a chance to play. We'll see how the game plays out. There are guys (the Red Sox) want to see play down there, and they're going to play."

Prospects will be on display. Touted left-hander Felix Doubront, who was originally scheduled to start today at Hadlock, had his spot in the rotation flip-flopped so he could pitch in Fenway.

And Boston's top pitching prospect, Junichi Tazawa, will start for Pawtucket.

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

kthomas@pressherald.com