After totaling six runs in their past five games, the Portland Sea Dogs broke out Thursday night with a 10-0 win over the Hartford Yard Goats before 5,778 at Hadlock Field.

Josh Ockimey came a triple short of the cycle. Danny Mars also homered. Jhon Nunez went 3 for 4.

Portland didn’t really need so much offense because Teddy Stankiewicz had things under control – literally.

Stankiewicz (6-8) threw 100 pitches (69 strikes) to complete eight shutout innings, allowing three hits and no walks (one hit batter) while striking out five. He faced 27 batters, went to a three-ball count twice and threw 19 first-pitch strikes.

“Felt really good,” Stankiewicz said. “I was aggressive inside early and that opened up the outer half of the plate.”

It was easily his best performance of the year. He mixed pitches, countering a fastball with a splitter – that he added this year – and slider.

In the fourth inning, Dom Nunez of Hartford crushed Stankiewicz’s first-pitch fastball foul down the right-field line. Stankiewicz got two strikes on him and set him down, swinging at a splitter. Stankiewicz ended the inning by striking out Sam Hilliard with an elevated 94 mph fastball. He retired 14 of the last 16 batters he faced.

“He was finishing off his pitches, which gave him better command,” pitching coach Paul Abbott said. “The split had a good late break to it and the slider was better than it has been.”

Ockimey got the Sea Dogs going with his 13th home run, leading off the second. Ockimey swatted a 91 mph inside fastball from Ryan Castellani (5-6), launching it to right- center – an estimated 392 feet.

Ockimey had been scuffling (2 for 23 since the Eastern League All-Star Game), but went 3 for 3, including a walk and sacrifice fly, with three RBI. He doubled in a run in the third inning for a 2-0 lead.

“Every single at-bat he had was productive,” Sea Dogs Manager Darren Fenster said. “He managed the zone really well. He was one highlight in a game full of highlights for us.”

Ockimey is batting .260 and leads the team with an .865 OPS.

Nunez, a catcher in his first season in Double-A, had a double, two singles and two RBI. He’s second on the team in hitting (.268).

Utility player Deiner Lopez enjoyed a 2-for-4 night with a double and two-run single.

Jordan Weems came on to pitch the ninth, allowing one hit and recording his 31st strikeout in 28 innings overall.

NOTES: Third baseman Michael Chavis took batting practice but was not in the lineup for a fifth straight day because of a sore wrist. He is considered day-to-day and could play Friday. … Mars’ home run was his third of the season. … The popular Zooperstars, with their inflatable, comedic characters, will perform during Friday’s game. … In Triple-A Pawtucket, former Red Sox prospect Michael Kopech started for the Charlotte Knights and allowed two runs over six innings, striking out nine. Charlotte won 4-3 with a walk-off walk in the ninth.

Kevin Thomas can be reached at 791-7411 or:

kthomas@pressherald.com

Twitter: @ClearTheBases

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