enlarge Gordon Chibroski/Staff Photographer

Jason Place takes a cut at a pitch during Tuesday night’s 10-6 loss against Trenton. Place had an RBI single in Portland’s three-run ninth inning.

enlarge Gordon Chibroski/Staff Photographer

Trenton second baseman Matt Cusick sprawls to make a catch Tuesday night during a 10-6 victory that helped eliminate the Sea Dogs from the playoff race.

TODAY'S GAME

WHO: Trenton Thunder (Josh Schmidt 8-3) vs. Sea Dogs (Blake Maxwell 5-8)

WHEN: 6 p.m.

WHERE: Hadlock Field

TICKETS: 2,500 available

PORTLAND — They are down and out, but the Portland Sea Dogs at least made matters interesting.

Before they lost and were eliminated from the Eastern League playoff race Tuesday night, the Sea Dogs scored three runs in the ninth and brought the tying run to the plate.

But Trenton survived and beat Portland 10-6 at Hadlock Field.

The loss helped keep Portland (63-72) out of the Eastern League playoffs for the first time since 2004.

The Sea Dogs trailed both Trenton (67-68) and New Britain (68-67) for the final playoff berth in the Northern Division. Because Trenton plays New Britain in the final four games of the season, Portland cannot overtake both teams.

Still, the Sea Dogs continued trying to battle until the end.

"I know we were headed down the path with the playoffs, but we showed some fight," center fielder Ryan Kalish said. "It's awesome to know we're not going to give up to the end."

Kalish, 21, is certainly ending well. He went 3 for 4 with two RBI on Tuesday and since June 1, he is batting .302 with 42 RBI.

Portland outhit Trenton 15-12 but again was done in by poor pitching and defense. Portland made four errors, with first baseman Lars Anderson committing three.

Of the 10 runs allowed, only six were earned, and some of those would not have scored if Portland could have turned a double play or two.

"If we catch the ball and turn some double plays, we're in the ballgame," Portland Manager Arnie Beyeler said. "Ryne (Lawson, the Sea Dogs' starter) struggled with his command, but he made the big pitch to get ground balls.

"But we didn't do anything with them."

Lawson (3-12) did not make it out of the fifth, allowing six runs (four earned) on seven hits and four walks in 4 2/3 innings.

Reliever Chad Rhoades pitched 2 1/3 shutout innings, and Josh Papelbon went the last two innings. Papelbon, younger brother of Boston Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon, gave up four runs (two earned) on four hits and a walk in his Double-A debut.

Trenton took the lead for good in the third inning. Anderson bobbled a ground ball to allow a runner and later dropped Chris Malec's foul pop fly. Malec then singled in two runs for a 3-1 lead.

Trenton built the lead to 10-3 before Portland rallied in the ninth with five hits and a walk against closer Jose Valdez. The Sea Dogs got RBI singles by Luis Exposito, Jason Place and Iggy Suarez and had the bases loaded with two outs before Daniel Nava flied out to shallow center.

"Not the way we'd like to finish," Thunder Manager Tony Franklin said. "But we'll take the win."

NOTES: Nava went 2 for 5 with a walk and is batting .383 in 26 games with a .487 on-base percentage. The Sea Dogs will announce their Hall of Fame inductee before today's game, but it's not a secret. The team already has Mark Kotsay's plaque hanging in the concourse. Former Portland High player Ryan Baker is the Thunder's third-string catcher. He has played in eight games with a .125 average.

Staff Writer Kevin Thomas can be contacted at 791-6411 or at: kthomas@pressherald.com